Elsevier

Life Sciences

Volume 57, Issue 10, 28 July 1995, Pages PL103-PL107
Life Sciences

Pharmacology letter accelerated communication
The D2 dopamine receptor occupancy of risperidone and its relationship to extrapyramidal symptoms: A pet study

https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(95)02037-JGet rights and content

Abstract

Risperidone is a recently introduced neuroleptic distinguished by a decreased incidence of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS). The mechanism of its low EPS is unclear. Since it has been shown that EPS is related to the level of D2 receptor occupancy, we studied nine patients receiving 2–6 mg/day of risperidone using [11C]-raclopride PET scans in order to determine the in vivo D2 receptor binding characteristics of risperidone. The mean level of receptor occupancy was 66% at 2 mg; 73% at 4 mg; and 79% at 6 mg. Three patients, those with the highest receptor occupancies, exhibited mild EPS, though none required anitparkinsonian medications. Our results suggest that at doses of 4–6 mg the in vivo D2 receptor occupancy of risperidone is similar to that of typical neuroleptics and higher than that of clozapine. This would suggest that the EPS benefits of risperidone cannot be explained by a low D2 binding but may be related to its high 5-HT2 affinity. However, the emergence of EPS at higher levels of D2 receptor occupancy, in this study and in previous clinical trials, would suggest that risperidone's high 5-HT2 affinity provides only a relative protection from EPS. and once the D2 occupancy exceeds a certain threshold this ‘relative’ 5-HT2-mediated protection from EPS may be lost.

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    The frequency of risperidone treatment failure, as monitored by switching to an alternative antipsychotic within 1 year, was higher among patients having poor or ultrarapid risperidone metabolism. Since the occurrence and severity of most of the adverse drug reactions with these drugs are dose dependent for both risperidone7,22,23 and aripiprazole,8 these findings collectively support that pre-emptive CYP2D6 genotyping would be valuable for individualising risperidone and aripiprazole dosing and optimisation of drug effects. Risperidone and aripiprazole are usually initially administered at a low dose, which is later increased until an optimal treatment response is reached.24

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