Spatial memory deficits induced by perinatal treatment of rats with PCP and reversal effect of D-serine.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology June 1, 2004 Janne Damm Andersen, Bruno Pouzet
Perinatal treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) in rats causes lasting cognitive deficits that resemble those seen in schizophrenia. Male rats given PCP on postnatal days 7, 9, and 11 showed slight impairment in spatial reference memory and strong impairment in reversal and spatial working memory tasks as adults. Female rats were not significantly affected. Chronic treatment with D-serine reversed the cognitive deficits in male rats. This neurodevelopmental model may be useful for screening antipsychotic drugs aimed at treating cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.