The effects of phencyclidine on spontaneous aggressive behavior in the rat

Phencyclidine induced dose-related alterations in the pattern of spontaneous aggressive behavior in pairs of rats, in which only one animal of each pair was drug-treated. At the lowest dose tested (0.25 mg/kg, sc), phencyclidine produced attacks by the drug-treated animal and a corresponding increase in submissive behavior by the untreated partner, as well as an increase in boxing behavior by both animals. In contrast, the highest dose of phencyclidine tested (1.0 mg/kg, sc) elicited attacks and allogrooming by the untreated animal. The low dose effect is interpreted as the result of phencyclidine-induced distortion in perception of social cues, while the high dose effect may be due to a general disruption in social communication by ataxia in the phencyclidine-treated animal.