Combination of the phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor, MR1916 with risperidone shows additive antipsychotic‐like effects without affecting cognitive enhancement and cataleptic effects in rats

AIM: Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors not only have antipsychotic‐like effects but also cause cognitive enhancement without affecting extrapyramidal side effects in rodents, suggesting that PDE10A may be a novel approach for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, how a combination of PDE10A inhibitor with a currently available antipsychotic drug, risperidone contributes to the effect of each compound in rats remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine the combination effects of MR1916 with a currently available antipsychotic drug, risperidone, in rats. METHODS: We examined the combination effects of the PDE10A inhibitor, MR1916 with risperidone on conditioned avoidance response (CAR) to assess antipsychotic‐like effects in rats. We also examined them on catalepsy as extrapyramidal side effects and novel object recognition test in cognitive functions in rats. RESULTS: MR1916 (0.025‐0.2 mg/kg, p.o.) and risperidone (0.75‐6 mg/kg, p.o.) alone attenuated the CAR in a dose‐dependent manner. The combination of MR1916 (0.025 mg/kg, p.o.) with risperidone (0.75 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly enhanced the attenuation of CAR without increasing the escape failure response. At the same dosage, the cataleptic effects were not enhanced by combined treatment of MR1916 with risperidone. Furthermore, the enhancement of object recognition memory induced by MR1916 (0.3 mg/kg, p.o.) was not affected by the combination with risperidone (0.75 mg/kg, p.o.). CONCLUSION: The combination of MR1916 with risperidone may have additive antipsychotic‐like effects without affecting extrapyramidal side effects, and the cognitive‐enhancing effect of MR1916 may not be interfered with the addition of risperidone.