Distribution and localization of estrogen-sensitive dopamine receptors in the rat brain.

Administration of estrogen to adult male rats increases the density of striatal dopamine receptors. The densities of the dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens and cortex are not altered, while the density of those in the hippocampus is decreased. In the pituitary the density, on a whole pituitary basis, is not changed. The increased density of striatal dopamine receptors normally observed after estrogen treatment is prevented by prior injection into the striatum of kainic acid, which destroys the intrinsic neurons in the striatum. In addition, the benzodiazepine receptors in the striatum, cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum are not altered by estrogen treatment, showing the specificity of the estrogen treatment and suggesting that the effects of estrogen are not mediated through benzodiazepine receptors.