Evidence for limited D1 and D2 receptor coexpression and colocalization within the dorsal striatum of the neonatal mouse.

The striatum is the major input nucleus of the basal ganglia involved in reward processing, goal-directed behaviors, habit learning, and motor control. The striatum projects to the basal ganglia output nuclei via the "direct" and "indirect" pathways, which can be distinguished by their projection fields and their opposing effects on behavior. In adult animals, the functional opposition is modulated by the differential actions of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors (D1R, D2R), the expression of which is largely separated between these pathways.

Selective overexpression of dopamine D3 receptors in the striatum disrupts motivation but not cognition.

Background: Evidence indicating an increase in dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) density and occupancy in patients with schizophrenia comes from positron emission tomography studies using ligands that bind both D2Rs and dopamine D3 receptors (D3Rs), questioning the role of D3Rs in the pathophysiology of the disease. Dopamine D3 receptor positron emission tomography ligands have recently been developed and antagonists with preferential affinity for D3R versus D2R are undergoing clinical evaluation. To determine if an increase in D3Rs in the striatum could produce phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia, we generated a transgenic model of striatal D3R overexpression.

Effects of a short-course MDMA binge on dopamine transporter binding and on levels of dopamine and its metabolites in adult male rats.

Although the recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is often described as a selective serotonergic neurotoxin, some research has challenged this view. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of MDMA on subsequent levels of two different markers of dopaminergic function, the dopamine transporter (DAT) as well as dopamine and its major metabolites. In experiment I, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered either a low or moderate dose MDMA binge (2.

The Nature of 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-Induced Serotonergic Dysfunction: Evidence for and Against the Neurodegeneration Hypothesis.

High doses of the recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") have been well-documented to reduce the expression of serotonergic markers in several forebrain regions of rats and nonhuman primates. Neuroimaging studies further suggest that at least one of these markers, the plasma membrane serotonin transporter (SERT), may also be reduced in heavy Ecstasy users. Such effects, particularly when observed in experimental animal models, have generally been interpreted as reflecting a loss of serotonergic fibers and terminals following MDMA exposure.

Effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on serotonin transporter and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 protein and gene expression in rats: implications for MDMA neurotoxicity.

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'Ecstasy') is a popular recreational drug used worldwide. This study aimed to determine the effects of this compound on the expression of nerve terminal serotonergic markers in rats. Experiment 1 investigated MDMA-induced changes in levels of the serotonin transporter (SERT) and the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT-2) in the hippocampus, a region with sparse dopaminergic innervation, after lesioning noradrenergic input with N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4).

Repeated adolescent MDMA ("Ecstasy") exposure in rats increases behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to a 5-HT2A/2C agonist.

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a popular recreational drug among adolescents. The present study aimed to determine the effects of repeated intermittent administration of 10 mg/kg MDMA during adolescence on behavioral (Experiment 1) and neuroendocrine (Experiment 2) responses of rats to the 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) and on [(3)H]ketanserin binding to 5-HT(2A) receptors. In the first experiment, MDMA pretreatment increased the frequency of head twitches and back muscle contractions, but not wet-dog shakes, to a high-dose DOI challenge.