Dizocilpine-induced neuropathological changes in rat retrosplenial cortex are reversed by subsequent clozapine treatment

Life Sci. 2000 Feb 11;66(12):1071-8. doi: 10.1016/s0024-3205(00)00410-0.

Abstract

In this study, we examined the effect of post-treatment with clozapine on the neuropathological changes in the rat retrosplenial cortex induced by the administration of non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine ((+)-MK-801). The maximal increase in vacuolized neurons, which are representative of neuropathology, was observed 4 hours after a single injection of dizocilpine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.), with a complete reversal of the neuropathology after 16-24 hours. The administration of clozapine (10 mg/kg, i.p.,) 4 hours after the administration of dizocilpine significantly decreased the number of vacuolized neurons in the retrosplenial cortex 6, 8 or 10 hours after administration of dizocilpine, compared to vehicle-treated animals. Furthermore, the administration of clozapine (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg i.p.) 4 hours after the administration of dizocilpine produced a significant decrease in the number of vacuolized neurons in the retrosplenial cortex in a dose-dependent manner when measure 6 hours post-dizocilpine. These results show that neuropathological changes in the rat retrosplenial cortex produced by dizocilpine can be attenuated by post-treatment with clozapine.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Clozapine / pharmacology*
  • Dizocilpine Maleate / toxicity*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Limbic System / drug effects
  • Limbic System / pathology
  • Nervous System Diseases / chemically induced
  • Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Nervous System Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Vacuoles / pathology

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Dizocilpine Maleate
  • Clozapine