Activation of corticostriatal pathway leads to similar morphological changes observed following haloperidol treatment (original) (raw)

Haloperidol-induced morphological changes in striatum are associated with glutamate synapses

Brain Research, 1994

Sub-chronic treatment with the typical neuroleptic, haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg/d, s.c.), but not the atypical neuroleptic, clozapine (35 mg/kg/day, s.c.), causes an increase in synapses containing a perforated postsynaptic density (referred to as 'perforated' synapses) and in dopamine (DA) D 2 receptors within the caudate nucleus [46]. To determine if these perforated synapses are glutamatergic, we systemically co-administered MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks), a non-competitive antagonist at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-associated ion channel, and haloperidol. MK-801 blocked the haloperidol-induced increase in striatal perforated synapses, but not the haloperidol-induced increase in DA D 2 receptors. Injection of MK-801 into the striatum also attenuated the haloperidol-induced increase in perforated synapses. Post-embedding immuno-gold electron microscopy using antibodies to glutamate indicated that the gold particles were localized within striatal presynaptic nerve terminals that make contact with perforated postsynaptic densities. These findings support the hypothesis that the haloperidol-induced increase in perforated synapses is regulated by the NMDA subtype of excitatory glutamate receptor. The increase in perforated synapses following administration of haloperidol, which is associated with a high incidence of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS), and the lack of a synaptic change following administration of clozapine, known to have a low frequency of EPS, suggests that glutamate synapses play a role in the motoric side effects that are observed with typical neuroleptic drug treatment.

Glutamatergic neurotransmission mediated by NMDA receptors in the inferior colliculus can modulate haloperidol-induced catalepsy

Brain Research, 2010

The inferior colliculus (IC) is primarily involved in the processing of auditory information, but it is distinguished from other auditory nuclei in the brainstem by its connections with structures of the motor system. Functional evidence relating the IC to motor behavior derives from experiments showing that activation of the IC by electrical stimulation or excitatory amino acid microinjection causes freezing, escape-like behavior, and immobility. However, the nature of this immobility is still unclear. The present study examined the influence of excitatory amino acid-mediated mechanisms in the IC on the catalepsy induced by the dopamine receptor blocker haloperidol administered systemically (1 or 0.5 mg/kg) in rats. Haloperidol-induced catalepsy was challenged with prior intracollicular microinjections of glutamate NMDA receptor antagonists, MK-801 (15 or 30 mmol/0.5 μl) and AP7 (10 or 20 nmol/0.5 μl), or of the NMDA receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA, 20 or 30 nmol/0.5 μl). The results showed that intracollicular microinjection of MK-801 and AP7 previous to systemic injections of haloperidol significantly attenuated the catalepsy, as indicated by a reduced latency to step down from a horizontal bar. Accordingly, intracollicular microinjection of NMDA increased the latency to step down the bar. These findings suggest that glutamate-mediated mechanisms in the neural circuits at the IC level influence haloperidol-induced catalepsy and participate in the regulation of motor activity. a v a i l a b l e a t w w w . s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m w w w . e l s e v i e r . c o m / l o c a t e / b r a i n r e s

Effects of Subchronic Clozapine and Haloperidol on Striatal Glutamatergic Synapses

Journal of Neurochemistry, 2002

Subchronic treatment with haloperidol increases the number of asymmetric glutamate synapses associated with a perforated postsynaptic density in the striatum. To characterize these synaptic changes further, the effects of subchronic (28 days) administration of an atypical antipsychotic, clozapine (30 mg/kg, s.c.), or a typical antipsychotic, haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.), on the binding of [ 3H]MK-801to the NMDA receptor-linked ion channel complex and on the in situ hybridization of riboprobes for NMDAR2A and 2B subunits and splice variants of the NMDAR1 subunit were examined in striatal preparations from rats. The density of striatal glutamate immunogold labeling associated with nerve terminals of all asymmetric synapses and the immunoreactivity of those asymmetric synapses associated with a perforated postsynaptic density were also examined by electron microscopy. Subchronic neuroleptic administration had no effect on [3H]MK-801 binding to striatal membrane preparations. Both drugs increased glutamate immunogold labeling in nerve terminals of all asymmetric synapses, but only haloperidol increased the density of glutamate immunoreactivity within nerve terminals of asymmetric synapses containing a perforated postsynaptic density. Whereas subchronic administration of clozapine, but not haloperidol, resulted in a significant increase in the hybridization of a riboprobe that labels all splice variants of the NMDAR1 subunit, both drugs significantly decreased the abundance of NMDAR1 subunit mRNA containing a 63-base insert. Neither drug altered mRNA for the 2A subunit, but clozapine significantly increased hybridization of a probe for the 2B subunit. The data suggest that some neuroleptic effects may be mediated by glutamatergic systems and that typical and atypical antipsychotics can have varying effects on the density of glutamate in presynaptic terminals and on the expression of specific NMDA receptor splice variant mRNAs. Alternatively, NMDAR1 subunit splice variants may differentially respond to interactions with glutamate.

Acute and chronic haloperidol treatment: Comparison of effects on nigral dopaminergic cell activity

Life Sciences, 1978

Antipsychotic drugs produce most of their clinical effects, both therapeutic and adversive, in a time-dependent manner which, depending upon the effect, can take days to years to develop . Using extracellu lar single unit recording and microiontophoretic techniques, we investigated the effect of chronic haloperidol (CI}AL) treatment (0 .5 mg/kg/ day s .c . x 22 d) on nigral dopaminergic (llA) neuronal activity . These effects were compared to those obtained in control animals, animals acutely treated with haloperidol (Af}AL), and animals which had been treated for 21 days but not tested until a weep after haloperidol had been discontinued (CIiAL+1) . CI}AL treatment resulted in an almost total absence of spontaneously firing nigral DA cells . "Silent" llA cells became active when GABA or UA was applied rricroiontophoretically but they were unresponsive to glutamic acid .

Effect of haloperidol administration on GABA and glutamate dehydrogenase activity in Albino Rat Brain

The Pharma Innovation Journal, 2016

The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of chronic haloperidol administration on glutamate dehydrogenase activity and GABA level. Methods: We used ex vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy along with high performance liquid chromatography to analyze forebrain tissue from rats administered oral haloperidol for 40 days. Results: Haloperidol administration for 40 days decreases the receptor binding of GABA and GABA levels at dose of 5mg/kg b.w., 1.0 mg/kg b.w., and 0.5 mg/kg b.w. and the activity of glutamate dihydrogen are increases significantly at the dose of 1.0 mg/kg b.w., and 0.5 mg/kg b.w. Conclusion: Chronic haloperidol administration in rats appears to increase forebrain GABA and glutamate dehydrogenase activity. Studies exploring these processes in subjects with schizophrenia should take into account the potential confounding effects of antipsychotic medication treatment.

Haloperidol abolished glutamate release evoked by photic stimulation of the visual cortex in rats

Neuroscience Letters - NEUROSCI LETT, 2002

There is evidence that systemic administration of haloperidol, a dopamine receptor blocker, attenuates visual cortex evoked potentials. However, there is scarce information on cortical neurochemical changes associated with haloperidol effects on visual function. The present experiment was designed to investigate: (1) the effect of photic stimulation on glutamate release in the visual cortex; and (2) whether systemic administration of haloperidol would affect those neurochemical changes. Microdialysis probes were implanted in the occipital cortex. Glutamate levels were measured every 30 s using capillary zone electrophoresis. Extracellular glutamate levels increased to about 282% 30 s after photic stimulation started and remain elevated for the 3 min that the photic stimulation lasted. Haloperidol (1.5 and 5 mg/kg, i.p.) completely suppressed the increased of glutamate efflux during photic stimulation. Finally, it was also found that the highest dose of haloperidol (5 mg/kg) did not change glutamate basal levels. The results are discussed with reference to possible dopaminergic actions on the visual system function.

The effects of haloperidol on synaptic patterns in the rat striatum

Brain Research, 1985

A morphometric analysis of the corpus striatum of rats chronically treated with haloperidol was performed at the light and electron microscopic levels. Although the density of striatal neurons was unchanged in the lialoperidol-treated group, there was a small in- crease in neuronal size (13%). This change in cell size was paralleled by a trend towards larger dendrite calibres occurring in

Modulation of haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats by GABAergic neural substrate in the inferior colliculus

Neuroscience, 2013

Not only is the inferior colliculus (IC) a highly important center of integration within the central auditory pathway, but it may also play a modulatory role in sensorymotor circuitry. Previous evidence from our laboratory relating the IC to motor behavior shows that glutamate-mediated mechanisms within the IC modulate haloperidol-induced catalepsy. The high density of GABAergic receptors in the IC led to this study of a possible link between these receptors, haloperidol-induced catalepsy, and a possible involvement of the blockade of dopaminergic receptors. Catalepsy was evaluated by positioning both forepaws of rats on an elevated horizontal wooden bar and recording the time that the animal maintained this position. The present study shows that haloperidol-induced catalepsy was enhanced by local microinjection into the IC of midazolam (20 nmol/0.5 ll), a benzodiazepine receptor agonist, whereas animals receiving a microinjection of bicuculline (40 or 80 ng/0.5 ll), a GABAergic antagonist, showed a reduction in the time of catalepsy. However, the microinjection of haloperidol (2.5 or 5.0 lg/0.5 ll) bilaterally into the IC did not induce catalepsy. Therefore, our results suggest the involvement of the IC in the modulation of catalepsy induced by haloperidol, even though the dopaminergic mechanisms of the IC are unable to induce catalepsy when blocked by the direct microinjection of haloperidol. It is thus possible that the IC plays a role in sensorimotor gating and that GABA-mediated mechanisms are involved.

Effect of haloperidol and clozapine on the density of “perforated” synapses in caudate, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex

Psychopharmacology, 1992

Perforated synapses, which contain a discontinuous density along the postsynaptic membrane, can increase or decrease in numbers following various behavioral and biochemical manipulations. We have previously established that 14-day treatment with haloperidol causes an increase in the number of perforated synapses within the caudate nucleus (dorsolateral region) but not the nucleus accumbens (Meshul and Casey 1989). This effect was reversed if the animals were withdrawn from the drug for an equivalent period of time. We have now further examined the effects of haloperidol administration, which is associated with a high incidence of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) and tardive dyskinesia (TD), and assessed the effects of clozapine, which appears to have a lower potential for inducing EPS and TD. Administration of haloperidol for 2 weeks significantly increased the percentage of perforated synapses in the caudate, but not in the nucleus accumbens or layer VI of medial prefrontal cortex (MPCx). There was an increase in specific [125I]epidepride binding to D-2 receptors in the caudate nucleus and MPCx following haloperidol. Administration of clozapine for 2 weeks did not affect the percentage of perforated synapses in any of the three dopamine (DA)-rich regions that were examined. There was an increase in specific [3H]SCH 23390 binding to D-1 receptors and in specific [125I]epidepride binding to D-2 receptors only within MPCx following clozapine. The absence of any change in the density of perforated synapses within the dorsolateral caudate nucleus following clozapine correlates with: 1) the lack of effect on specific DA receptor binding or down regulation of serotonin (5-HT2) receptors (as reported by others), or 2) the inability in clozapine-treated animals to depolarize block substantia nigra (A9) DA neurons. These results may be related to the low incidence of EPS and TD observed with clozapine.