Summary
The effects of the non-competitive NMDA antagonist dizocilpine in tests of cognitive function have been compared with its effects on motor function in rats. Severe motor impairments were observed at doses above 0.1 mg/kg. Dizocilpine (0.075 mg/kg) had no effect on the acquisition of a spatial discrimination task in a Y-maze, but disrupted reversal learning. Both the acquisition and reversal of a visual discrimination task were impaired following dizocilpine (0.075 mg/kg). Dizocilpine (0.04 mg/kg) also disrupted performance of a fivechoice visual reaction time task. It is clear that dizocilpine can impair cognitive function at doses which do not induce pronounced motor dysfunction. The impairment induced by dizocilpine includes a disruption of spatial discrimination learning and a deficit in tasks with sustained attentional demands.
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Cross, A.J., Murray, T.K. & Snape, M.F. Characterisation of learning and memory deficits following NMDA receptor antagonism. Amino Acids 8, 79–87 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00806546
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00806546