Effect of piracetam, a cyclic GABA analogue, on haloperidol-induced catalepsy in the rat

Piracetam, 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide (Nootropil), is a cyclic GABA analogue. As GABA-mimetic compounds have been reported to potentiate haloperidol-induced catalepsy it was decided to study the effect of piracetam on haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats. Piracetam, in high doses, was found to induce catalepsy while sub-cataleptic doses of piracetam were found to potentiate haloperidol-induced catalepsy. Piracetam, however, failed to antagonise apomorphine stereotypy in rats thereby ruling out the possibility of its possessing dopamine receptor blocking activity. The possible mechanism involved in the induction of catalepsy by piracetam and in the potentiation of haloperidol-induced catalepsy by sub-cataleptic doses of piracetam is discussed on the basis of its chemical relationship to GABA.