Persistent increase in striatal dopamine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity persists for more than 6 months but disappears after 1 year following withdrawal from 18 months cis-flupenthixol intake.

Administration of cis-flupenthixol to rats for 18 months enhanced apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviour, increased the number of specific [3H]spiperone binding sites in striatum and potentiated striatal dopamine stimulated cyclic AMP formation, but did not alter specific [3H]piflutixol binding. Following withdrawal of cis-flupenthixol intake, apomorphine-induced stereotypy returned to control values after 1 month and Bmax for [3H]spiperone binding returned to normal after 3 months. In contrast, the increased dopamine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity remained elevated 6 months after drug removal, but was normal 1 year after drug withdrawal.