behavioral effects of nimodipine in animals neuro and psychopharmacological effects of isopropyl2methoxyethyl14dihydro26dimethyl43nitrophenyl35pyridinedicarboxylate bay e 9736 nimodipine are described using a variety of methods measuring behavior under normal conditions under the influence of psychotropic drugs as well as under the influence of ischemia or hypoxia it has been demonstrated that nimodipine although not being very potent when measured in mgkg exerts neuro and psychopharmacological effects characterized by influences on the extrapyramidal system aggressive defensive behavior and chemically induced seizures electroencephalographical changes become evident whenever the normal equilibrium between cerebral catecholamine and cerebral serotonin levels is disturbed when measured under the contingencies of a one trial passive avoidance paradigm nimodipine is able to prevent the occurrence of retrograde amnesia in rodents after amnesiogenic events such as maximal electroconvulsive seizure or hypoxia the substance prevents behavioral and electroencephalographic disturbances elicited by a total cerebral ischemia which is lethal in nontreated cats it is concluded that nimodipine besides being a cerebrally vasoactive agent has psychopharmacological properties with a profile of actions hitherto unknown