BACKGROUND: The dopamine hypothesis proposes that antipsychotic drugs act primarily through limbic cortical D2/D2-like dopamine receptor blockade. AIM: To evaluate this hypothesis with the D2/D3-selective SPET probe [123I]-epidepride. METHOD: [123I]-epidepride SPET scans were performed on 12 patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics and II age-matched healthy controls. [123I]-epidepride 'specific binding' to D2/D3 dopamine receptors was estimated, and relative percentage D2/D3 receptor occupancy by typical antipsychotic drugs determined. RESULTS: Mean (s.d.) daily dose was 669.12 (516.8) mg chlorpromazine equivalents. Mean percentage D2/D3 receptor occupancy was 81.6 (8.1) and 73.2 (13.9) in the temporal cortex and striatum respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Typical antipsychotic drug treatment is associated with substantial temporal cortical D2/D3 receptor occupancy. The relationship between this and efficacy is poor in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND: The dopamine hypothesis proposes that antipsychotic drugs act primarily through limbic cortical D2/D2-like dopamine receptor blockade. AIM: To evaluate this hypothesis with the D2/D3-selective SPET probe [123I]-epidepride. METHOD: [123I]-epidepride SPET scans were performed on 12 patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics and II age-matched healthy controls. [123I]-epidepride 'specific binding' to D2/D3 dopamine receptors was estimated, and relative percentage D2/D3 receptor occupancy by typical antipsychotic drugs determined. RESULTS: Mean (s.d.) daily dose was 669.12 (516.8) mg chlorpromazine equivalents. Mean percentage D2/D3 receptor occupancy was 81.6 (8.1) and 73.2 (13.9) in the temporal cortex and striatum respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Typical antipsychotic drug treatment is associated with substantial temporal cortical D2/D3 receptor occupancy. The relationship between this and efficacy is poor in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.