Dopamine D2 and D3 receptor preferring antagonists differentially affect striatal dopamine release and metabolism in conscious rats.

Classical neuroleptic drugs with high affinity for dopamine D2 receptors in comparison to D3 ones (haloperidol, thioproperazine and spiperone) administered i.p. acutely (0.2, 0.2 and 0.07 mg/kg, respectively) induced a pronounced increase in the extracellular level of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and only a modest rise in that of dopamine in the dorsal striatum of conscious rats studied by transcerebral microdialysis. Atypical neuroleptics, clozapine and thioridazine (both 20 mg/kg), demonstrating relatively higher affinity for dopamine D3 receptor than typical ones, as well as the dopamine D3 receptor and autoreceptor preferring antagonists, cis-(+)-(1S,2R)-5-methoxy-1-methyl-2-(di-n- propylamino)tetralin HCl ((+)-UH232) and cis-(+)-(1S,2R)-5-methoxy-1-methyl-2-(n-propylamino)tetralin HCl ((+)-AJ76) (both 14 mg/kg), were equally effective or even more potent in increasing dopamine release than DOPAC. It is concluded that the dopamine D2/D3 receptor relative potencies of typical and atypical neuroleptics appear to correspond to their ability to affect preferentially dopamine metabolism or release in rat dorsal striatum in vivo.