Effects of haloperidol on cognitive function and behavioural flexibility in the IntelliCage social home cage environment

Abstract

This study examined the effects of chronic administration of haloperidol in female C57BL/6 mice. As patients with schizophrenia often show perseverant behaviours and lack of behavioural flexibility, it is important to know whether the effect of haloperidol makes these traits worse. This study, therefore, was designed to evaluate the effects of haloperidol on the learning performance of mice using an automated home cage environment, the IntelliCage. Behavioural shuttling in the IntelliCage enabled us to assess learning in tasks including place discrimination learning and reversal place learning. In reversal place learning, spatial patterns of rewarded and non-rewarded places that mice had learned to discriminate were reversed, and the adaptability of mice to change the previously acquired place learning was measured. Haloperidol (1 mg/kg/day) reduced locomotor activity and water intake. Haloperidol impaired the cognitive flexibility of mice during reversal place learning rewarded by access to water but enhanced the rapid acquisition of behavioural flexibility when airpuff punishment was applied.