The phosphodiesterase 10A selective inhibitor TAK-063 improves cognitive functions associated with schizophrenia in rodent models

Abstract

Cognitive deficits in various domains, including recognition memory, attention, impulsivity, working memory, and executive function, substantially affect functional outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. TAK-063 [1-[2-fluoro-4-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl) phenyl]-5-methoxy-3-(1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)pyridazin-4 (1H)-one] is a potent and selective phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor that produces antipsychotic-like effects in rodent models of schizophrenia. We evaluated the effects of TAK- 063 on multiple cognitive functions associated with schizophrenia using naïve and drug-perturbed rodents. TAK-063 at 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg p.o. improved time-dependent memory decay in object recognition in naïve rats. TAK-063 at 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg p.o. increased accuracy rate, and TAK-063 at 0.3 mg/kg p.o. reduced impulsivity in a five-choice serial reaction time task in naïve rats. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine and MK-801 [(5R,10S)-(+)-5- methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine], were used to induce working memory deficits relevant to schizophrenia in animals. TAK-063 at 0.3 mg/kg p.o. attenuated both phencyclidine-induced working memory deficits in a Y-maze test in mice and MK-801-induced working memory deficits in an eight-arm radial maze task in rats. An attentional set-shifting task using subchronic phencyclidine-treated rats was used to assess the executive function. TAK-063 at 0.3 mg/kg p.o. reversed cognitive deficits in extradimensional shifts. These findings suggest that TAK-063 has a potential to ameliorate deficits in multiple cognitive domains impaired in schizophrenia.