Increased brain dopamine and dopamine receptors in schizophrenia

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1982.04290090001001· OSTI ID:6646174

Mackay, A V; Iversen, L L; Rossor, M; Spokes, E; Bird, E; Arregui, A; Creese, I; Synder, S H

In postmortem samples of caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens from 48 schizophrenic patients, there were significant increases in both the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) and the apparent dissociation constant (KD) for tritiated spiperone. The increase in apparent KD probably reflects the presence of residual neuroleptic drugs, but changes in Bmax for tritiated spiperone reflect genuine changes in receptor numbers. The increases in receptors were seen only in patients in whom neuroleptic medication had been maintained until the time of death, indicating that they may be entirely iatrogenic. Dopamine measurements for a larger series of schizophrenic and control cases (n greater than 60) show significantly increased concentrations in both the nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus. The changes in dopamine were not obviously related to neuroleptic medication and, unlike the receptor changes, were most severe in younger patients.

• Research Organization: Medical Research Council Centre, Medical School, Cambridge, England
• OSTI ID: 6646174
• Journal Information: Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States), Vol. 39:9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BRAIN
MORPHOLOGY
MENTAL DISORDERS
PATHOLOGY
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
AGE DEPENDENCE
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOCHEMISTRY
DOPAMINE
NEUROREGULATORS
PATIENTS
PHYSIOLOGY
RECEPTORS
AMINES
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BODY
CARDIOTONICS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHEMISTRY
DRUGS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHENOLS
POLYPHENOLS
REACTION KINETICS
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
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