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Iptakalim: A Potential Antipsychotic Drug With Novel Mechanisms?, Tao Sun, Changjiu Zhao, Gang Hu, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Iptakalim is a novel putative adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channel opener. In the brain, iptakalim is thought to act on the neuronal and astrocytic plasma membrane and/or mitochondrial K_ATP channels. Because iptakalim demonstrates an action on the regulation of dopamine and glutamate release in the forebrain regions, we examined its potential antipsychotic efficacy in several preclinical tests. First, we show that iptakalim is effective in reducing amphetamine- and phencyclidine-induced hyperlocomotion as well as selectively disrupting conditioned avoidance responding. Next, we show that combined iptakalim and amphetamine treatment produces a reduction on prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle …