Increased muscarinic cholinergic receptors in prefrontal cortices of medicated schizophrenics.

Alterations in 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites associated with muscarinic cholinergic receptors were investigated in orbito-frontal and medial frontal cortices from 12 schizophrenics, 6 on-drug and 6 off-drug cases, and from 10 controls. Significantly lower affinities of the sites were found in both areas of schizophrenics than controls. An increase in receptor number was shown only in the orbito-frontal cortex from schizophrenics. On-drug group of schizophrenics did, however, show a significant increase in receptor number and a significant decrease in affinity in both areas, while there were no significant differences in any binding parameters of off-drug schizophrenics from controls. Also in the caudate the similar results were obtained. It is, thus, concluded that alterations in muscarinic cholinergic receptors of schizophrenic patients result from long-term medication with antimuscarinic actions.