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Increased brain dopamine and dopamine receptors in schizophrenia

Journal Article · · Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States)
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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), Journal Name: Arch. Gen. Psychiatr.; (United States) Vol. 39:9; ISSN ARGPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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