Analysis of sociability and preference for social novelty in the acute and subchronic phencyclidine rat

Abstract

Both acute and sub-chronic phencyclidine administration produce behavioural and pathophysiological changes that resemble some features of schizophrenia. The present study aimed to determine if acute and sub-chronic phencyclidine treatment in male rats produces deficits in sociability and social novelty preference, which may reflect aspects of the negative symptomatology observed in schizophrenia. Rats were treated with phencyclidine acutely (2 or 5 mg/kg) or subchronically (2 or 5 mg/kg bi-daily for one week followed by a one week wash-out period) or vehicle. Social affiliative behaviour was assessed using the sociability and preference for social novelty paradigm where social interaction time was measured in (a) a chamber containing an unfamiliar conspecific vs an empty chamber (sociability), or (b) a chamber containing an unfamiliar conspecific vs a chamber containing a familiar conspecific (preference for social novelty). Results showed that acute administration of phencyclidine produced a reduction in measures of sociability but had no effect on preference for social novelty while sub-chronic administration of phencyclidine had no effect on sociability or social novelty. This study provides further evidence for the usefulness of phencyclidine models in modelling the symptomatology of schizophrenia.

Disruption of social cognition in the sub-chronic PCP rat model of schizophrenia: Possible involvement of the endocannabinoid system

“…The reasons behind these discrepancies remain unknown. Nevertheless, the inconsistency of the data - or the absence of a PCP effect on sociability (Hanks et al 2013; McKibben et al 2014) obtained from the three-chamber task or its modified version (present study) - is in contrast with the robust and consistent disruption of social behavior described with the dyadic social interaction paradigm (Qiao et al 2001; Seillier and Giuffrida, 2009; Snigdha and Neill, 2008). Intrinsic differences between these two assays may explain these divergent observations.…”

“…To date, the few studies that have examined sociability in the sub-chronic PCP model of schizophrenia using the three-chamber task have reporting produced conflicting results. Indeed, while some groups have shown lack of effect of sub-chronic PCP on sociability (Hanks et al 2013; McKibben et al 2014), others have described a partial attenuation (Brigman et al 2009) or an abolition of sociability (O'Tuathaigh et al 2010a). The reasons behind these discrepancies remain unknown.…”

Anxiety does not contribute to social withdrawal in the subchronic phencyclidine rat model of schizophrenia

“…These observations are consistent with reduced, rather than increased, anxiety-like behavior in PCP-treated animals. However, the lack of a deficit in social approach in PCP-treated rats (Hanks et al, 2013; McKibben et al, 2014), which suggests intact motivation to engage in social interaction, contrasts with the robust disruption of social behavior described in the dyadic social interaction paradigm (Qiao et al, 2001; Seillier and Giuffrida, 2009; Snigdha and Neill, 2008). Such divergence might be inherent to the tasks themselves, as placing the “stimulus” rat under a wire mesh cage (social approach task) might be perceived as “socially safe” by the interacting conspecific (Chabout et al, 2013).…”

Role of Prefrontal Cortex Anti- and Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in the Development of Abnormal Behaviors Induced by Disconnection of the Ventral Hippocampus in Neonate Rats

“…The three-chamber method as described previously (McKibben et al, 2014 ) was used to measure the sociability of the rodents with a conspecific as well as social discrimination memory of familiar vs. novel conspecific rat. Two wire mesh cages (20 cm × 20 cm × 15 cm) were placed in two chambers on the right and left of the central chamber and the central chamber was devoid of any objects.…”