Mh. Teicher et al., EVIDENCE FOR DOPAMINE-RECEPTOR PRUNING BETWEEN ADOLESCENCE AND ADULTHOOD IN STRIATUM BUT NOT NUCLEUS-ACCUMBENS, Developmental brain research, 89(2), 1995, pp. 167-172
Postnatal development of dopamine D-1 and D-2 receptor families in str
iatum and nucleus accumbens of rats was studied at 25, 35, 40, 60, 80,
100 and 120 days using autoradiography. These ages were selected to t
est the hypothesis that dopamine receptors were overproduced prior to
puberty (day 40), and pruned back to adult levels thereafter. This hyp
othesis was confirmed in striatum but not nucleus accumbens. D-1 recep
tor B-max ([H-3]SCH-23390) peaked at 40 days, with levels 67 +/- 21% g
reater than at 25 days. However, B-max levels were at least 35% lower
at 60-120 days than at 40 days. Similarly, D-2 receptor numbers ([H-3]
YM-09151-2) increased 144 +/- 26% between 25 and 40 days, but were red
uced by 34-38% between 60-120 days. In contrast, D-1 and D-2 receptor
B-max increase approximately 150% between 25 and 40 days in nucleus ac
cumbens, levels fell slightly at 60 or 80 days, but were no different
at 100 and 120 days then they were at 40 days. These findings suggest
that these two major dopamine target regions follow different developm
ental strategies, and this has implications for etiological theories o
f schizophrenia that focus on anomalous receptor pruning.