Subchronic continuous phencyclidine administration potentiates amphetamine-induced frontal cortex dopamine release.

Functional dopaminergic hyperactivity is a key feature of schizophrenia. Etiology of this dopaminergic hyperactivity, however, is unknown. We have recently demonstrated that subchronic phencyclidine (PCP) treatment in rodents induces striatal dopaminergic hyperactivity similar to that observed in schizophrenia. The present study investigates the ability of PCP to potentiate amphetamine-induced dopamine release in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell. Prefrontal dopaminergic hyperactivity is postulated to underlie cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. In contrast, the degree of NAc involvement is unknown and recent studies have suggested that PCP-induced hyperactivity in rodents may correlate with PFC, rather than NAc, dopamine levels. Rats were treated with 5-20 mg/kg/day PCP for 3-14 days by osmotic minipump. PFC and NAc dopamine release to amphetamine challenge (1 mg/kg) was monitored by in vivo microdialysis and HPLC-EC. Doses of 10 mg/kg/day and above produced serum PCP concentrations (50-150 ng/ml) most associated with PCP psychosis in humans. PCP-treated rats showed significant, dose-dependent enhancement in amphetamine-induced dopamine release in PFC but not NAc, along with significantly enhanced locomotor activity. Enhanced response was observed following 3-day, as well as 14-day, treatment and resolved within 4 days of PCP treatment withdrawal. These findings support the concept that endogenous NMDA receptor dysfunction could account for the pattern of dopaminergic dysfunction observed in schizophrenia, and suggest that even short duration abuse of PCP-like agents may greatly potentiate behavioral effects of psychostimulants in drug abuse situations. Finally, these studies provide a model system in which to evaluate effects of potential psychotherapeutic agents.