EFFECTS OF OLFACTORY BULBECTOMY ON PHENCYCLIDINEE (PCP) INDUCED BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES

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.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Phencyclidine (PCP). a psychotomimetic drug, interferes with glutamate transmission at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the central nervous system and precipitates psychotic reaction in humans which are similar to schizophrenia. The present study investigates whether surgical removal of the olfactory bulbs (0B) in rats could produce an effect or a deficit in the NMDA receptors in the olfactory bulbectomised animals following an acute challenge with a single high dose of PCP (10 mg/kq, i.p.) in comparison to Sham operated animals. PCP treatment produced an increase in home cage locomotor activity in both the 0B and Sham animals over a 3 hour period. The increase in locomotor activity was slightly higher in Sham operated animals than the OB animals. As regards to stereotyped behaviours, PCP produced various effects on behaviours in the OB and Sham animals; grooming, rearing, and falling on the sides was suppressed and chewing totally disappeared, whereas circling and head rolling was increased in the two groups, even though the suppression and increase in behaviours did not reach significance in both groups. It can be concluded that olfactory bulbectomy did not alter the NMDA receptors activity.