Catalepsy induced by striatal acetylcholinesterase inhibition with fasciculin in rats

The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor peptide fasciculin (FAS) was bilaterally injected into the striatum of rats. Twenty-four hours after injection, animals showed a cataleptic syndrome that was potentiated by haloperidol (HAL). The catalepsy was significantly decreased by IP atropine. Biochemically, only an increase of the homovanillic acid in the striatum was found 24 h and 7 days after FAS treatment. Seven days after the intrastriatal FAS injection, there was no HAL potentiation of catalepsy, which was even lower than that of rats treated with IP HAL after intrastriatal injection of saline. Results are interpreted as showing the central role of the cholinergic system in the induction of catalepsy in the rat.