SCH 23390-INDUCED BEHAVIORAL SUPERSENSITIVITY IS NOT RELATED TO STRIATAL C-FOS LEVELS

Stereotyped behavior and striatal c-fos levels induced by chronic trea tment with the D-1 dopamine antagonist SCH 23390 have been investigate d in rats which received subsequent subacute dopamine agonist treatmen t. SCH 23390 treatment (0.5 mg/kg/day) for 21 days increased both apom orphine-induced orofacial stereotypies and striatal c-fos levels. Trea tment with the D-1 dopamine agonist SKF 38393 (10 mg/kg/day) and the c ombination of SKF 38393 with the D-2 dopamine agonist quinpirole (1 mg /kg/day), for 5 consecutive days, attenuated apomorphine-induced stere otypies without changing c-fos levels in rats previously treated with SCH 23390. These findings suggest that SCH 23390-induced behavioral su persensitivity and the increased striatal c-Sos levels are concomitant but unrelated phenomena. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.