Functional hyperdopaminergia in dopamine transporter knock-out mice

Dopamine is an important regulator of many central nervous system functions . Hyperfunction of the dopaminergic system is believed to be related to sev eral pathological conditions. Genetic deletion of the dopamine transporter gene in mice results in a persistent extracellular hyperdopaminergic tone, that is functionally revealed as hyperactivity. The lack of a reuptake mech anism produces a marked increase in functional extracellular dopamine which results in profound plasticity of pre- and postsynaptic parameters of dopa mine homeostasis. The mice lacking the dopamine transporter gene may repres ent an appropriate model to elucidate the molecular adaptive changes accomp anying pathological states associated with hyperdopaminergic function. Biol Psychiatry 1999;46:303-311 (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.