Effect of cocaine self-administration on dopamine D2 receptors in rhesus monkeys

The present study used autoradiography to examine the effects of chronic self-administration of cocaine on the density of dopamine D2 receptors in nonhuman primates. Three rhesus monkeys intravenously self-administered an average of 1.35 mg/kg cocaine per day for 18-22 months until they were euthanized immediately after a self-administration session. Binding site density of the D2 ligand [3H]raclopride (2 nM) was assessed in these monkeys as well as three untreated controls, using quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography. As compared to untreated controls, D2 binding site density was significantly lower in the animals that self-administered cocaine in all regions of the striatum rostral to the anterior commissure. These regions include the anterior and central regions of the caudate nucleus, putamen, olfactory tubercle, and both the shell and core of the nucleus accumbens. Within the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, by contrast, no differences were found in the density of D2 binding sites. These findings suggest a pervasive effect of cocaine on the regulation of D2 receptors in the striatum. The lack of change within the ventral midbrain, however, suggests a differential regulation of D2 receptors in the striatum and ventral midbrain. This study confirms and extends our knowledge of the neurobiological changes in the mesolimbic dopamine system that result from chronic exposure to cocaine.