Antipsychotic agents antagonize non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist-induced behaviors.

Antipsychotic agents were tested for their ability to antagonize both dopaminergic-induced and non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist-induced behaviors. All of the agents dose-dependently antagonized the apomorphine-induced climbing mouse assay (CMA) and dizocilpine (MK-801)-induced locomotion and falling assay (MK-801-LF) with a CMA/MK-801-LF ratio of less than or equal to 1.6. However, clozapine and its structural analog olanzapine more potently antagonized MK-801-LF (1.1 and 0.05 mg/kg) than the CMA (12.3 and 0.45 mg/kg) and as a result had a CMA/MK-801-LF ratio of 11.2 and 9, respectively. Furthermore, phencyclidine (PCP) (2 mg/kg) can selectively induce social withdrawal in naive rats that were housed in pairs (familiar) for 10 days prior to testing without affecting motor activity. SCH 23390, raclopride, haloperidol, chlorpromazine and risperidone failed to reverse the social withdrawal induced by PCP up to doses which produced significant motor impairment. However, clozapine (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) and olanzapine (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg) significantly reversed this social withdrawal in rats. Therefore, the non-competitive NMDA antagonists PCP and MK-801 can induce behaviors in Rodents which are selectively antagonized by clozapine and olanzapine. Furthermore, assessment of the effects of antipsychotic agents in the CMA, MK-801-LF and PCP-induced social withdrawal assays may provide a preclinical approach to identify novel agents for negative symptoms and treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Benzisoxazole- and benzisothiazole-3-carboxamides as potential atypical antipsychotic agents.

A series of benzisoxazole- and benzisothiazole-3-carboxamides has been prepared and tested for potential antipsychotic activity. In general, the compounds showed an affinity for dopamine D2 and serotonin 5HT2A and 5HT1A receptors. Several members of this series have demonstrated activity in animal models predictive of potential antipsychotic activity. In addition, compounds 18, 19, 22, 27, 28, 43, and 44 have also shown a potential for reduced EPS liability as suggested by the ratio of activity seen in mesolimbic-mediated vs nigrostriatal-mediated behavioral assays.

Effects of atypical antipsychotic agents on social behavior in rodents.

There are numerous preclinical screening procedures that are predictive of clinical efficacy for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but no assays for the negative symptoms such as social withdrawal. In the social interaction test in rats, the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine (10.0 mg/kg) and two putative atypical agents risperidone (0.0625 mg/kg) and HP 873 (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) significantly increased social interaction behaviors between pairs of unfamiliar but not familiar rats. The benzodiazepine diazepam (1.25-5.0 mg/kg) increased social behaviors in both paradigms. Haloperidol, chlorpromazine, raclopride, and SCH23390 decreased social behaviors in these assays. In vitro receptor binding studies revealed that only clozapine, risperidone, and HP 873 displayed dopamine to serotonin affinity ratios for both D2/5-hydroxytryptamine2(5-HT2)/ and D1/5-HT1A of greater than or equal to 12.9 and 1.0, respectively. The present study suggests that antipsychotic agents that may be effective in social withdrawal can be identified in this modified social interaction paradigm. Further, our data suggests that a compound's effectiveness for the treatment of social withdrawal is at least in part due to its relative affinity for binding to dopamine D1 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors.

Stereoselective R-(+) enantiomer of HA-966 displays anxiolytic effects in rodents.

Anxiolytic agents disinhibit suppressed behaviors in rodents in preclinical models of anxiety such as the non-conditioned social interaction and elevated plus maze assays and the conditioned conflict Cook and Davidson procedure. The (+) and (-) enantiomers of (+/-)-3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinone (HA-966) have been resolved and revealed that R-(+)-HA-966 significantly disinhibits both non-conditioned and conditioned suppressed behavior similar to the benzodiazepine diazepam, while the S-(-) enantiomer was devoid of anxiolytic activity and only produced behavioral sedation. Furthermore, R-(+)-HA-966 lacked side-effects in rodents commonly associated with the administration of benzodiazepines such as motor incoordination and ataxia, significant interactions with ethanol, and amnesia. These data suggest that R-(+)-HA-966, an antagonist at the strychnine-insensitive glycine/NMDA receptor site, was anxioselective and lacked some of the side-effects associated with benzodiazepine anxiolytics.