Opiate receptor modifications in the rat brain after chronic treatment with haloperidol and suipiride

Anatomical, electrophysiological and pharmacological data support the existence of a pronounced interaction between dopamine (DA) and opioids. In particular, chronic administration of DA antagonist drugs modifies opiate peptides and opiate receptors. In this paper we focused, by means of quantitative receptor autoradiography, on the modifications induced by chronic neuroleptic treatment, in patches versus diffuse distribution, of opiate receptors in the striatum, and we also studied the different effects of haloperidol and sulpiride on striatal and cortical receptors. We found a significant decrease of the number of (3H)- naloxone binding sites in the striatal patches of treated animals but no effects in the matrix. We also observed, in haloperidol-treated animals, an increase of (3H)-naloxone binding sites in the medial cortex, and in sulpiride-treated animals an increase in the lateral and dorsal cortex. Two main observations arise from our data: (a) a differential effect is produced by neuroleptic treatment on opiate receptors in patches and in matrix; (b) an opposite influence is exerted by sulpiride and haloperidol on opiate receptors in the cortex and in striatum.