Schizophrenia: elevation of dopamine D4-like sites, using [3H]nemonapride and [125I]epidepride

We here report a three-fold elevation of dopamine D4-like sites in schizophrenia, using [3H]nemonapride to measure dopamine D2 and D3 receptors and D4-like sites, and using [125I]epidepride to measure D2 and D3 sites in ten control and nine schizophrenia post-mortem brain putamen tissues. This result differs from a recent report which did not detect significant D4-like sites in control or schizophrenia putamen (Reynolds and Mason, 1995, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 281, R5). The present finding agrees with other reports wherein an elevation in D4-like sites was found in schizophrenia, using [3H]nemonapride for D2, D3 and D4-like sites, but [3H]raclopride for D2 and D3 sites. The nature of these D4-like sites is not known.