This study evaluated the effects of chronic olanzapine treatment on cognitive performance and neurochemical function in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, or saline. Quinpirole treatment produces an increase of dopamine D2 receptor sensitivity that extends into adulthood, known as D2 receptor priming, similar to a phenomenon that occurs in schizophrenia. These same rats were treated in adulthood for 28 days with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, or saline. Dopamine D2- primed rats demonstrated significant deficits on a cognitive task that were alleviated by olanzapine treatment. Brain tissue analysis revealed that D2-primed animals demonstrated a significant decrease in the neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex. Olanzapine treatment alleviated the decrease in NGF. The results suggest that olanzapine eliminates cognitive impairment and may have neuroprotective properties in the hippocampus of D2-primed rats.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study evaluated the effects of chronic olanzapine treatment on cognitive performance and neurochemical function in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine D<sub>2</sub> receptor agonist, or saline. Quinpirole treatment produces an increase of dopamine D<sub>2</sub> receptor sensitivity that extends into adulthood, known as D<sub>2</sub> receptor priming, similar to a phenomenon that occurs in schizophrenia. These same rats were treated in adulthood for 28 days with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, or saline. Dopamine D<sub>2</sub>- primed rats demonstrated significant deficits on a cognitive task that were alleviated by olanzapine treatment. Brain tissue analysis revealed that D<sub>2</sub>-primed animals demonstrated a significant decrease in the neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex. Olanzapine treatment alleviated the decrease in NGF. The results suggest that olanzapine eliminates cognitive impairment and may have neuroprotective properties in the hippocampus of D<sub>2</sub>-primed rats.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Thacker, Stephanie K"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-05-07T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-05-07T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:43Z","subjects":["BDNF","NGF","dopamine","olanzapine","quinpirole","schizophrenia","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1011","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Thacker, Stephanie K"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2005-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["BDNF","NGF","dopamine","olanzapine","quinpirole","schizophrenia","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2168/viewcontent/ThackerS041005f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1011"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study evaluated the effects of chronic olanzapine treatment on cognitive performance and neurochemical function in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, or saline. Quinpirole treatment produces an increase of dopamine D2 receptor sensitivity that extends into adulthood, known as D2 receptor priming, similar to a phenomenon that occurs in schizophrenia. These same rats were treated in adulthood for 28 days with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, or saline. Dopamine D2- primed rats demonstrated significant deficits on a cognitive task that were alleviated by olanzapine treatment. Brain tissue analysis revealed that D2-primed animals demonstrated a significant decrease in the neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex. Olanzapine treatment alleviated the decrease in NGF. The results suggest that olanzapine eliminates cognitive impairment and may have neuroprotective properties in the hippocampus of D2-primed rats.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Chronic Olanzapine Treatment Eliminates Cognitive Deficits Produced by Neonatal Quinpirole Treatment."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Thacker, Stephanie K"],"dc:date.issued":["2005-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study evaluated the effects of chronic olanzapine treatment on cognitive performance and neurochemical function in a rodent model of schizophrenia. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, or saline. Quinpirole treatment produces an increase of dopamine D2 receptor sensitivity that extends into adulthood, known as D2 receptor priming, similar to a phenomenon that occurs in schizophrenia. These same rats were treated in adulthood for 28 days with olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, or saline. Dopamine D2- primed rats demonstrated significant deficits on a cognitive task that were alleviated by olanzapine treatment. Brain tissue analysis revealed that D2-primed animals demonstrated a significant decrease in the neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex. Olanzapine treatment alleviated the decrease in NGF. The results suggest that olanzapine eliminates cognitive impairment and may have neuroprotective properties in the hippocampus of D2-primed rats.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2168/viewcontent/ThackerS041005f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1011"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["BDNF","NGF","dopamine","olanzapine","quinpirole","schizophrenia","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["Chronic Olanzapine Treatment Eliminates Cognitive Deficits Produced by Neonatal Quinpirole Treatment."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA (Master of Arts)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:43Z"}