Abstract
Summary
Reserpine and prochlorperazine were administered in separate experiments to adult CAW:CF1 mice and to adult LVG:LAK hamsters that had recovered from audiosensitization induced by 30 sec of doorbell sound during a critical period of infantile development. In contrast to controls that showed tranquilization in response to these drugs, the previously audiosensitized animals of both species responded with a high incidence of convulsive seizures.
The proconvulsant effect of reserpine and prochlorperazine in previously audiosensitized mice was present one hour after drug administration, but had subsided 20 hr post-administration. The proconvulsant effect of reserpine in previously audiosensitized mice was shown to be dose-dependent. The proconvulsant effect of reserpine in previously sensitized hamsters was present 100 days after audiosensitization.
Although the mechanisms of the proconvulsant effects of reserpine and prochlorperazine are poorly understood, possible mechanisms are discussed.
Environmental noise during early infantile development appears to have significant residual effects persisting into adult life. This study has shown that idiosyncratic responses to antipsychotic drugs in adult laboratory animals can result from infantile auditory exposure, and it is speculated that human idiosyncrasies to psychoactive drugs may be similarly based.
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