Neurobiology of dopamine in schizophrenia

Int Rev Neurobiol. 2007:78:1-39. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7742(06)78001-1.

Abstract

This chapter is an update on the dopamine (DA) imbalance in schizophrenia, including the evidence for subcortical hyperstimulation of D2 receptors underlying positive symptoms and cortical hypodopaminergia-mediating cognitive disturbances and negative symptoms. After a brief review of the anatomical neurocircuitry of this transmitter system as a background, we summarize the evidence for dopaminergic alterations deriving from pharmacological, postmortem, and imaging studies. This evidence supports a prominent role for D2 antagonism in the treatment of positive symptoms of schizophrenia and strongly suggests the need for alternative approaches to address the more challenging problem of negative symptoms and cognitive disturbances.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amphetamine / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / physiopathology
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / drug effects
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiopathology
  • Receptors, Dopamine / drug effects
  • Receptors, Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Schizophrenia / metabolism*
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Receptors, Dopamine
  • Amphetamine
  • Dopamine