Neurotransmitter receptors in brain in schizophrenia.

The binding of the dopamine agonist ADTN and of ligands for the serotonin, muscarinic cholinergic, GABA, and benzodiazepine receptors was studied in 18 schizophrenic and 19 control brains. By contrast with the previously reported increase in binding of the dopamine antagonist spiperone, ADTN binding was not increased, and there was no consistent change in binding of ligands for receptors of substances other than dopamine. The findings suggest that the increase in dopamine receptors (assessed by spiperone binding) in schizophrenia is related to the disease process rather than to previous neuroleptic medication, and may be limited to the type of dopamine receptors that bind butyrophenones.