Phencyclidine-induced stereotyped behaviors in rats following specific neurotoxin lesions of the striatum.

All the components of phencyclidine(PCP)-induced stereotyped behaviors, including sniffing, backpedalling, turning and head weaving were significantly decreased in rats following kainic acid lesion of the striatum. In the 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats, the behavioral score of PCP-induced stereotyped sniffing was similar to that in the sham-operated rats, while other components were significantly decreased. In addition, only the PCP-induced backpedalling and head weaving were significantly attenuated in the 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine lesioned rats. These results suggest that not only dopaminergic but also serotonergic and other systems in the striatum may play important roles in PCP-induced stereotyped behaviors.