The psychopharmacology-molecular biology interface: Exploring the behavioural roles of dopamine receptor subtypes using targeted gene deletion ('knockout')
Jl. Waddington et al., The psychopharmacology-molecular biology interface: Exploring the behavioural roles of dopamine receptor subtypes using targeted gene deletion ('knockout'), PROG NEUR-P, 25(4), 2001, pp. 925-964
Citations number
128
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
1. In the absence of selective agonists and antagonists able to discriminat
e between individual members of the D-1-like and D-2-like families of dopam
ine receptor subtypes, functional parcellation has remained problematic.
2. 'Knockout' of these subtypes by targeted gene deletion offers a new appr
oach to evaluating their roles in the regulation of behaviour.
3. Like any new technique, 'knockout' has associated with it a number of me
thodological limitations that are now being addressed in a systematic manne
r.
4. Studies on the phenotype of D-1A/1, D-1B/5, D-2, D-3 and D-4 'knockouts'
at the level of spontaneous and agonist/antagonist-induced behaviour are r
eviewed, in terms of methodological issues, neuronal implications and poten
tial clinical relevance.
5. Dopamine receptor subtype 'knockout' is a nascent technology that is now
beginning to fulfil its potential. It is being complemented by more system
atic phenotypic characterisation at the level of behaviour and additional,
molecular biologically-based approaches.