In vivo studies of dopamine receptor ontogeny.

Studies of the ontogeny of dopamine and neuroleptic receptors in the central nervous system of the rat were carried out in vivo using 3H-spiperone as ligand. It was demonstrated that intraperitoneal injections can be successfully used to label these receptors in rat pups up to at least 30 days of age. The time course and characteristics of 3H-spiperone binding in the brain of 5, 15 and 30 day old rat pups were determined and found to include appropriate regional distribution, saturability and appropriate pharmacology. The developmental pattern of 3H-spiperone binding paralleled what has been seen using in vitro techniques. In addition preliminary autoradiographic studies describe the neuroanatomical pattern of dopamine receptor ontogeny in the striatum.