Phencyclidine-induced catalepsy in pigeons: specificity and stereoselectivity.

A procedure is described for the rapid assessment of cataleptic activity (loss of righting, without head-drop and without eye closure) of phencyclidine-type drugs. Single- and cumulative-dosing procedures with phencyclidine and ketamine produced similar results. Pentobarbital produced loss of righting at doses which also induced head-drop and eye closure. Catalepsy was induced exclusively by the d-isomers of ketamine, 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-3-methylpiperidine and alpha-dioxadrol. The procedure is suitable for studying compounds which may interact with phencyclidine receptors.