The Effects of Nicotine on MK-801-induced Attentional Deficits: An Animal Model of Schizophrenia
Abstract
The present study consisted of three experiments. Experiment 1 examined the effects of acute nicotine (0, 0.1 or 0.5 mg/kg) on the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) in animals treated with MK-801, an NMDA antagonist that models schizophrenic attentional deficits. Experiment 2 examined the effects of acute nicotine (0, 0.01 or 1.0 mg/kg) on ASR and PPI in MK-801-treated animals. Experiment 3 examined the effects of chronic nicotine (0 or 6.0 mg/kg/day) on ASR and PPI in animals treated with MK-801. MK-801 consistently disrupted attention by increasing ASR and decreasing PPI in all experiments. Nicotine failed to consistently attenuate these attentional disruptions. Nicotine had no significant effects on ASR or PPI at any dosage and attenuated the decrease in PPI caused by MK-801 only in a single set of startle parameters. These findings suggest that this model of attentional deficits in schizophrenia is not affected by nicotine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA421308
Entities
People
- Jennifer M. Phillips
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences