EFFECTS OF OLFACTORY BULBECTOMY ON PHENCYCLIDINEE (PCP) INDUCED BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES
Indian Journal of Pharmacology April 1, 1994 Stephen E.D. Nsimba, J.P. Kelly, B.e. Leonard
Phencyclidine (PCP), a drug that induces psychotic symptoms resembling schizophrenia, blocks NMDA glutamate receptors in the brain. This experiment tested whether surgically removing the olfactory bulbs in rats altered the effects of a single high dose of PCP (10 mg/kg) on behavior. PCP increased home-cage movement in both bulbectomized and sham-operated animals over three hours, with slightly greater activity in the sham group. PCP also suppressed grooming, rearing, and side-falling while increasing circling and head rolling in both groups, though these behavioral changes were not statistically significant. The results suggest that olfactory bulb removal does not alter NMDA receptor activity.