Alteration of dopamine receptors in the caudate nucleus and the putamen in schizophrenic brain.

Neuroleptic binding to human caudate and putamen was investigated in seven patients with schizophrenia and compared to matched normal controls. [3H]-spiperone was used as a ligand for the binding studies and previous drug treatment was recorded. There was a statistically significant increase in maximal specific binding and in dissociation constants for [3H]-spiperone in the brains of schizophrenics in both brain regions studied. Long term as well as recent neuroleptic treatment both appeared to be associated with increases of Bmax and Kd of [3H]-spiperone.