Schizophrenia & Mania – PrePulse Inhibition (PPI) of Acoustic Startle
The acoustic startle reflex is a very basic response to strong exteroceptive stimuli. A weak sound preceding the loud acoustic stimulus inhibits the startle reflex; this is called pre-pulse inhibition. It is widely used to assess sensorimotor reactivity (gating) in animals and humans, which is impaired in schizophrenia.
Administration of either typical (haloperidol, 1 mg/kg; i.p. - left) or atypical (aripiprazole, 10 and 20 mg/kg; i.p. - right) antipsychotics increases prepulse inhibition of startle in C57 mice.
The atypical antipsychotic clozapine (3 mg/kg; i.p.) reverses PCP-induced disruption of PPI.”
Aripiprazole increases PPI.
Clozapine reverses MK801-induced disruption in PPI.
Clozapine reverses PCP-induced disruption in PPI.
