[Dopamine D3 receptors as a novel target for improving the treatment of schizophrenia]

Schizophrenia is a complex and serious disorder which affects some 0.5-1.0% of the population. The disease generally begins in adolescence. This early onset, together with the progressive and often irreversible nature of schizophrenia, account for its high social cost. Positive symptoms, such as hallucinations, are generally well-controlled by antipsychotics, whereas cognitive and deficit symptoms are poorly-treated. All antipsychotic agents, irrespective of their overall receptor-binding profiles, interact with dopaminergic mechanisms that are known to be perturbed in schizophrenic patients. Dopamine exerts its actions via five classes of receptor, offering a broad palette of targets for the conception of novel antipsychotic agents. The present article focuses on the relevance of dopamine D3 receptors to the aetiology and treatment of schizophrenia. Experimental studies suggest that, as compared to other drugs, antipsychotic agents which preferentially block D3 receptors may possess therapeutic advantages, notably in the control of cognitive symptoms. The first clinical studies for the evaluation of this hypothesis have recently got underway.