Karan_2000_Methods.Find.Exp.Clin.Pharmacol_22_169

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of muscarinic receptor agonists on models of psychosis in rats. A battery of three tests, catalepsy (haloperidol-induced) augmentation, amphetamine-induced stereotypy antagonism and conditioned avoidance response were used. Both muscarinic receptor agonists physostigmine and pilocarpine produced similar results. They dose-dependently augmented the haloperidol-induced catalepsy, inhibited amphetamine-induced stereotypy behavior and inhibited the conditioned avoidance response. Results demonstrate that muscarinic receptor agonists have actions similar to those of dopamine receptor antipsychotic drugs in animal models, suggesting that muscarinic receptor agonists may be used as adjuvant drugs in the treatment of psychosis.