Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of abrupt and gradual withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment on open field behavior of rats

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of abrupt and gradual withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment on rat open field behavior was studied. Abrupt withdrawal induced a significant increase in all parameters of activity observed except defecation, this increase being higher 72 h after the last haloperidol injection. Results were considered to be a consequence of supersensitivity of central dopaminergic receptors. These differences were almost unobservable in animals gradually withdrawn, thus suggesting that the phenomenon is reversible.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bernardi, M. M., Palermo Neto, J.: Efeitos da administração aguda e crônica de haloperidol na atividade geral de ratos observados em um campo aberto. Cienc. Cult. (São Paulo) (Suppl.) 30, 655 (abstract) (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadhurst, P. L.: Experiments in psychogenetics. In: Experiments in personality. H. J. Eysenck ed., vol. 1, pp. 3–71. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul 1960

    Google Scholar 

  • Buus Lassen, J.: Inhibition and potentiation of apomorphine-induced hypermotility in rats by neuroleptics. J. Pharmacol. 36, 385–393 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, J. M., Masur, J.: Evaluation of psychotropic drugs with a modified open field test. Pharmacology 16, 259–267 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • De Souza, H.: Dopaminergic-cholinergic balance: Further aspects. Seventh Latinoamerican Congress of Pharmacology, São Paulo: p. 265 (1978)

  • Dunstan, R., Jackson, D. M.: The demonstration of a change in responsiveness of mice to physostigmine and atropine after withdrawal from long-term haloperidol pretreatment. J. Neural Transm. 40, 181–189 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gessa, G. L., Tagliamonte, A.: Effect of methadone and dextromoramide on dopamine metabolism: Comparison with haloperidol and amphetamine. Neuropharmacology 14, 913–920 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gianutsos, G., Drawbaugh, R. B., Hynes, M. D., Lal, H.: Behavioral evidence for dopaminergic supersensitivity after chronic haloperiol. Life Sci. 14, 887–898 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, D. M., Andén, N. E., Engel, J., Liljequist, S.: The effect of long-term penfluridol treatment on the sensitivity of the dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens and in the corpus striatum. Psychopharmacology 45, 151–155 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuczenskie, R., Schmidts, D., Leith, N.: Amphetamine-haloperidol interaction in rat striatum: Failure to correlate behavioral effects with dopaminergic and cholinergic dynamics. Brain Res. 126, 117–129 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ljungberg, T., Ungerstedt, U.: Different behavior patterns induced by apomorphine: Evidence that the method of administration determines the behavioural response to the drug. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 46, 41–50 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandell, W., Oliver, W. A.: Withdrawal of maintenance antiparkinson drug in the phenothiazine-induced extrapyramidal reaction. Am. J. Psychiatry 118, 350–351 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • McGeer, P. L., Bouding, J. E., Gibson, W. C., Foulkes, R. G.: Drug-induced extrapyramidal reactions. JAMA 177, 665–666 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sayers, A. C., Burki, H. R., Ruch, W., Asper, H.: Anticholinergic properties of antipsychotic drugs and their relation to extrapyramidal side effects. Psychopharmacology 51, 15–22 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarsy, D., Baldessarini, R. J.: Behavioral supersensitivity to apomorphine following chronic treatment with drugs which interfere with synaptic function of catecholamines. Neuropharmacology 13, 927–940 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornburg, J. E., Moore, K. E.: Supersensitivity to dopaminergic agonists following withdrawal of a chronic diet containing haloperidol or pimozide. Pharmacologist 16, 307–312 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bernardi, M.M., Neto, J.P. Effects of abrupt and gradual withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment on open field behavior of rats. Psychopharmacology 65, 247–250 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492211

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492211

Key words

Navigation