Vol. 290, Issue 2, 716-724, August 1999

Effects of LU-111995 in Three Models of Disrupted Prepulse Inhibition in Rats¹

Mark A. Geyer, Neal R. Swerdlow, Virginia Lehmann-Masten, Hans-Jürgen Teschendorf, Martin Traut and Gerhard Gross

Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California (M.A.G., N.R.S., V.L.-M.); and Knoll AG, General Pharmacology and Central Nervous System Research, Ludwigshafen, Germany (H.-J.T., M.T., G.G.)

LU-111995 is a novel antipsychotic drug in clinical development. It has a clozapine-like receptor profile and affinities for dopamine D₄ and 5-hydroxytryptamine_2A receptors. The effects of LU-111995 were examined in three models of disrupted prepulse inhibition (PPI) in rats. The first model tested the hypothesis that LU-111995 would normalize the deficit in PPI exhibited by rats treated with the dopamine agonist apomorphine. LU-111995 significantly reduced the effect of apomorphine on PPI but also slightly increased PPI by itself. Thus, the increases in PPI were not specific to the animals treated with apomorphine but reflected an effect of LU-111995 on PPI. LU-111995 also attenuated the apomorphine-induced increase in startle reactivity. The second model tested the hypothesis that LU-111995 would normalize the deficit in PPI exhibited by rats treated with the psychotomimetic phencyclidine (PCP). LU-111995 significantly blocked the PCP-induced increase in startle reactivity but did not alter the PPI-disruptive effects of PCP. The third model tested the hypothesis that LU-111995 would normalize the deficit in PPI exhibited by isolation-reared rats tested as adults. Isolation rearing of rats produced deficits in PPI. LU-111995 reversed the isolation rearing-induced deficit in PPI without having any significant effect on PPI in socially reared rats. In summary, LU-111995 exhibits potential antipsychotic-like activity in two models of disrupted PPI. It remains to be elucidated whether its effects on PPI can be attributed to a blockade of single dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor subtypes, especially D₄ and 5-hydroxytryptamine_2A, or a combination of both.