Selective increase of alpha 1-adrenoceptors and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex after chronic haloperidol.

The effect of chronic administration of haloperidol on alpha 1-, alpha 2-, and beta-adrenoceptors, cholinergic muscarinic, GABAA and benzodiazepine receptors in the cerebral cortex of the rat was investigated. Doses of 0.3 and 2 mg/kg of haloperidol during 7 days increased markedly the density of alpha 1-adrenoceptors without changes in affinity. The alpha 2- and beta-adrenoceptors were not modified after neuroleptic administration. The number of muscarinic receptors were also increased after haloperidol treatment (2 mg/kg/day). However, the GABAA and benzodiazepine binding sites remained unchanged. In the brainstem an increment in the alpha 1-, but not the beta-adrenoceptors was observed. The well known increase in the dopamine receptors in the striatum was confirmed. These observations demonstrate a multireceptor effect of haloperidol in the cerebral cortex.