A preliminary investigation into the effects of antipsychotics on sub-chronic phencyclidine-induced deficits in attentional set-shifting in female rats.

Rationale: The NMDA receptor antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP), has been shown to induce symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia. A loss in executive function and the ability to shift attention between stimulus dimensions is impaired in schizophrenia; this can be assessed in rodents by the perceptual attentional set-shifting task.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the deficits induced by sub-chronic PCP in attentional set-shifting could be reversed by sub-chronic administration of clozapine, risperidone or haloperidol.