BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY

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The project on behavioral pharmacology and toxicology is aimed at the elucidation of neuropharmacological processes involved in abnormal brain function and at the development of techniques to intervene in abnormal brain function through pharmacological manipulations. These studies involve the induction of abnormal behavioral and physiological states through administration of drugs and other manipulations, and attempts to alter behavior and physiological states by pharmacological manipulations. Particular topics of interest are areas known to be associated with the actions of neuroleptic drugs and drug-induced psychoses. These include (i) phencyclidine, which in humans can induce abnormalities resembling schizophrenia; (ii) calcitonin and calcium-channel inhibitors and activators, are under investigation because of the possible relationships between calcium mechanisms and long-term changes in neuronal function induced by chronic neuroleptics; (iii) seizures and other phenomena related to the quisqualate type of glutamate receptors are of particular interest because of the close association between glutamate synapses and dopamine synapses on striatal neurons; (iv) changes in various neuronal systems particularly excitatory amino acid systems induced by chronic neuroleptic administration are investigated in order to contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms of action of neuroleptics.