Comparative postnatal development of dopamine D-1, D-2 and D-4 receptors in rat forebrain

Postnatal development of dopamine D-1, D-2 and D-4 receptors in the caudate -putamen, nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex and hippocampus mas assessed in rat brain between postnatal days 7 and 60. In the caudate-putamen and nucl eus accumbens, density of all three receptor subtypes increased to a peak a t postnatal day 28, then declined significantly in both regions (postnatal days 35-60) to adult levels. In the frontal cortex and hippocampus, these r eceptors rose steadily and continuously to stable, maximal adult levels by postnatal day 60. Evidently, D-1, D-2 and D-4 receptors follow a similar co urse of development in several cortical, limbic and extrapyramidal regions of rat forebrain, with selective elimination of excess dopamine receptors a t the time of puberty in the caudate-putamen and accumbens but not other br ain regions. (C) 2000 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.