Glutamate agonist activity: implications for antipsychotic drug action and schizophrenia

Antagonist action at dopamine D2 receptors appears to explain many, but not all of the effects of antipsychotic drugs. Because of the interactions of dopamine with glutamate, and the implication of the latter in the etiology of schizophrenia, possible effects of antipsychotic drugs on glutamate receptors were assessed in the present experiments. These studies showed that, at clinically relevant concentrations, the conventional neuroleptic haloperidol and the atypical antipsychotic clozapine had potent augmenting influences on the NMDA receptor. These data suggest that unique action at glutamate receptors may contribute to antipsychotic efficacy and emphasize the potential importance of glutamatergic dysfunction in the etiology of schizophrenia.