Phencyclidine

Abstract

Phencyclidine (PCP) produces many profound effects in the central nervous system. PCP has numerous behavioral and neurochemical effects such as inhibiting the uptake and facilitating the release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. PCP also interacts with sigma, mu opioid, muscarinic, and nicotinic receptors. However, the psychotomimetic effects induced by PCP are believed to be mediated by specific PCP receptors, where PCP binds with greater potency than sigma compounds. Electrophysiological, behavioral, and neurochemical evidence strongly suggests that at least some of the many PCP actions result from antagonism of excitatory amino acid-induced responses via PCP receptors. The recent isolation and partial characterization of the alpha and beta endopsychosins and the identification of other endogenous ligands for the PCP and sigma receptors, is anotherpromising area of research in theelucidation of the physiological roleof an endogenousPCP and sigma system.