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Query: UMLS:C0036341 (schizophrenia)
 60,220 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Recent advances in molecular neurobiology led to a new understanding on mammalian brain dopaminergic system which play a major role in the regulation of motor, cognitive, emotional, neuroendocrine function as well as in the pathogenesis of several pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, affective disorders, schizophrenia, drug addiction etc. Functional, biochemical and pharmacological heterogeneity of dopamine receptors, which were divided into D1-like (D1 and D5 subtypes) and D2-like (D2, D3 and D4) families of receptors has been postulated. The article reviews the recent advances including author's own results concerning the structure and function of main dopaminergic brain system, i.e. nigrostriatal and mesolimbic. The problem of autoreceptor regulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission, particularly, the processes of dopamine synthesis, release and metabolism has been specially discussed. An involvement of D2 and D3 dopamine autoreceptors in the control of these processes and differences in the mode of action of typical and atypical neuroleptics demonstrating various affinities to D2 and D3 dopamine receptors are analysed in detail. Dopamine and its metabolites have been determined on freely moving rats using brain microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography. It is hypothesized that dopamine D3 autoreceptor is preferentially involved in the regulation of dopamine release while D2 one is responsible for the control of dopamine synthesis and metabolism in rat basal ganglia in vivo.
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PMID:[The brain dopaminergic systems: receptor heterogeneity, functional role and pharmacological regulation]. 901 22

The dopamine system is implicated in the control of locomotion, cognition, and endocrine function. The relative contribution of the various dopamine-related components is not well established mainly because drugs that target the dopaminergic system often lack selectivity. The in vivo gene inactivation procedure, or knockout, enables the creation of new strains of mice lacking a specific gene. This technique has been applied recently to inactivate the expression of the plasma membrane dopamine transporter. Here we summarize the main findings obtained with these transgenic mice carrying this "genetic defect," leading to a better understanding of the relative contribution of the dopamine transporter regarding locomotor activity, regulation of the expression of peptides under the control of dopaminergic activity, and responses to various drugs targeting the dopamine system. Our results establish not only the central importance of the transporter as the key element controlling dopamine levels in the brain, but also its role as an obligatory target for the behavioral and biochemical action of amphetamine and cocaine. In addition, the genetically altered mice offer a unique model to test the specificity and selectivity of dopamine transporter-acting drugs and may provide important new concepts related to the clinical and social implications of conditions such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and drug addiction.
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PMID:The dopamine transporter: a crucial component regulating dopamine transmission. 938 41

Drug dependence is common in schizophrenia. Two main models explain this association: drugs precipitate psychosis in a vulnerable subject, and drugs use to self-medicate positive and negative symptoms and neuroleptics side effects. We investigated the prevalence of psychoactive substance use and dependence in schizophrenia and its association with the subtype of schizophrenia. The sample consisted of 56 outpatients with schizophrenia according to ICD-10, between 18 and 40 years, and a control group with 56 subjects with other different disorder. They were evaluated with Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), sociodemographical, clinical and toxicological characteristics were evaluated too. Patients were classified in subtype negative, positive or mixed according to scoring in PANSS. Schizophrenics were reevaluates at six months of development. There were higher cocaine, alcohol, cannabis and nicotine use in schizophrenics. The patients with negative subtype of schizophrenia had more clinical severity, less scoring in alcohol and drugs subscales of ASI, lower prevalence of nicotine dependence and cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis and opioids use. Drugs use were associated with a poor compliance of treatment. Therefore, cannabis and cocaine dependence, regular alcohol use and tobacco use are more prevalent in schizophrenic than control group with other mental disorders. Negative subtype had lower drug use.
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PMID:[Drug use and dependence in schizophrenia]. 947 6

The D3 dopamine receptor is a member of the family of D2-like dopamine receptors. Since the cloning and identification of the D3 receptor in 1990, considerable progress has been made towards understanding the function of this novel site. Although some avenues of investigation have yielded more definitive results than others, studies to date indicate the D3 receptor is localized preferentially in limbic brain areas and affects locomotion and perhaps reinforcement and reward. A subpopulation of the receptors appear to be autoreceptors which modulate dopamine synthesis, release, and neuronal activity. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the D3 receptor may be an appropriate target in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and drug addiction. The role of D3 sites in disease, however, remains to be established. Genetic association of D3 receptor polymorphisms with neuropsychiatric disorders have been proposed. Alterations in expression of D3 sites may occur in some diseases. Although the study of this receptor is clearly in the early stages, these findings lay the foundation for future investigation. In this review, dopamine D3 receptor brain localization, cellular signaling mechanisms, and associated behavior will be discussed. The potential role of the D3 site in neuropsychiatric disorders and as a therapeutic target is also addressed.
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PMID:The D3 dopamine receptor in cellular and organismal function. 948 28

Recent advances in molecular neurobiology led to a new understanding on mammalian brain dopaminergic system which plays a major role in the regulation of motor, cognitive, emotional, neuroendocrine functions as well as in the pathogenesis of several pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, affective disorders, schizophrenia, drug addiction etc. Functional, biochemical and pharmacological heterogeneity of dopamine receptors, which were divided into D1-like (D1 and D5 subtypes) and D2-like (D2, D3 and D4) families of receptors has been postulated. The article reviews the recent advances including author's own results concerning the structure and function of main dopaminergic brain system, i.e. nigrostriatal and mesolimbic. The problem of autoreceptor regulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission, particularly, the processes of dopamine synthesis, release and metabolism has been specially discussed. An involvement of D2 and D3 dopamine autoreceptors in the control of these processes and differences in the mode of action of typical and atypical neuroleptics demonstrating various affinities to D2 and D3 dopamine receptors are analysed in detail. Dopamine and its metabolites have been determined on freely moving rats using brain microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography. It is hypothesized that dopamine D3 autoreceptor is preferentially involved in the regulation of dopamine release while D2 one is responsible for the control of dopamine synthesis and metabolism in rat basal ganglia in vivo.
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PMID:[Brain dopamine receptors: structure, functional role, and modulation by psychotropic substances]. 950 73

The lifestyle of the homeless often implies lack of hygiene resulting in - neglected - feet pathology. The Public Health department for the homeless (GG&GD) was visited by a man aged 43 with drug addiction and schizophrenia who suffered from severe 'tramp's feet' complicated by cellulitis of the right lower leg, which had not been diagnosed adequately during a previous visit to an emergency department. Adequate antibiotic treatment improved the condition in a few days. 'Maladjusted' presentation of the homeless may lead to hasty, inadequate judgement and treatment by health care workers. These socially handicapped patients need proper physical examination and efforts to realise shelter, care and indicated treatment.
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PMID:['Tramps feet' in vagrants]. 955 37

1. Extracellular single-unit recording and iontophoresis were used to examine the effects of different cholinoceptor agonists and antagonists on the firing rate and firing pattern of A9 and A10 presumed dopaminergic neurones in the anaesthetized rat. 2. Administration of low currents (1-5 nA) of the selective muscarinic agonists oxotremorine M (Oxo M) and muscarine and of the non-selective muscarinic/nicotinic agonist carbamylcholine (CCh) produced a dose-dependent increase in firing rate in most of the A9 and A10 presumed dopaminergic neurones tested. Oxo M-induced activation could be completely blocked by iontophoretic application of the muscarinic antagonist butyl-scopolamine or systemic administration of the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (300 microg kg(-1), i.v.). 3. Iontophoretic application of the selective nicotinic agonist methylcarbamylcholine (MCCh), but not nicotine, induced a consistent increase in firing rate. Surprisingly, the excitatory effect of MCCh was significantly reduced by the selective muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (300 microg kg(-1), i.v.), but not by the selective nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine (2.2 mg kg(-1), i.v.). Mecamylamine (3 mg kg(-1), i.v.) was also ineffective in reducing the CCh-induced activation of presumed dopamine neurones, suggesting that both CCh and MCCh increased the activity of dopamine neurones via an interaction with muscarinic receptors. 4. Iontophoretic application of the endogenous agonist acetylcholine (ACh) had no or little effect on the firing activity of A10 presumed dopaminergic neurones. However, concomitant application of neostigmine, a potent cholinesterase inhibitor, with acetylcholine induced a substantial activation of these neurones. This activation consisted of two components; one, which was prevalent, was scopolamine (300 microg kg(-1), i.v.)-sensitive, and the other was mecamylamine (2 mg kg(-1), i.v.)-sensitive. 5. In addition to their effect on firing activity, Oxo M, muscarine and concomitant neostigmine/ACh caused a significant increase in burst firing of A10 neurones, but not of A9 neurones. 6. These data suggest that dopamine cells, both in the A9 and A10 regions, possess functional muscarinic receptors, the activation of which can increase their firing rate and, for A10 neurones, their amount of burst activity. These cholinoceptors would be able to influence the activity of the midbrain dopamine system greatly and may play a role in, and/or be a therapeutic target for, brain disorders in which dopamine is involved (e.g., Parkinson's disease, drug addiction and schizophrenia).
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PMID:Activation of midbrain presumed dopaminergic neurones by muscarinic cholinergic receptors: an in vivo electrophysiological study in the rat. 964 68

In various studies of psychiatric patients, alterations in adrenergic receptor (AR) expression or function have been suggested. Herein, the alpha2A AR gene was screened in 206 patients with schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, alcohol dependence, or cocaine dependence. The entire coding region was examined for single base pair changes, using restriction endonuclease fingerprinting (REF), a screening method that can detect virtually 100% of mutations in 2-kb DNA segments. In the approximately 600 kb of screened sequence, six novel nucleotide changes were identified. The changes resulted in four missense changes (A25G, N251K, R368L, and K370N), and a sequence in the 3' untranslated region. In addition, a silent change (G363G) was found at high frequency in Asians and Native Americans. Of the four missense changes, two found in patients with alcohol/drug dependence occur in highly conserved amino acids, suggesting that these are of likely functional significance. As the alpha2A ARs are widely distributed both pre- and postsynaptically, and as many pharmacological agents with multiple effects target these receptors, the novel missense changes described herein may be candidates for involvement in alcohol/drug dependence, in other clinical disorders or traits, or in differential response to pharmacotherapy.
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PMID:Variants in the alpha2A AR adrenergic receptor gene in psychiatric patients. 975 26

The dopaminergic systems of the brain are thought to play a major role in the regulation of motor, cognitive, neuroendocrine functions and in the pathogenesis of several pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, affective disorders, schizophrenia, drug addiction, etc. Functional, biochemical, and pharmacological heterogeneity of dopamine receptors, which were divided into D1-like (D1 and D5 subtypes) and D2-like (D2, D3, and D4) families of receptors, has been postulated. The paper concerns the recent advances in the study of the structure and function of two main dopaminergic brain systems, i.e. nigrostriatal and mesolimbic. The problem of autoreceptor regulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission, particularly the processes of dopamine synthesis, release, and metabolism is discussed. The involvement of D2 and D3 dopamine autoreceptors in the control of these processes and differences in the mode of action of typical neuroleptics are analyzed. It is hypothesized that dopamine D3 autoreceptor is preferentially involved in the regulation of dopamine release while D2 one is responsible for the control of dopamine synthesis and metabolism in rat basal ganglia in vivo.
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PMID:[Functional role and pharmacological regulation of the dopaminergic system of the brain]. 977 Nov 25

The D3 receptor is recognized with high affinity by all antipsychotics and selectively expressed in limbic brain areas participating in the central of emotions, motivation and reward. In transfected cultured cells, stimulation of the D3 receptor inhibits cAMP formation and increases mitogenesis, which, in turn, is potentiated by activation of the cAMP cascade. This suggests that both opposite and synergistic interactions occur between the D3 receptor and the cydic AMP pathway, possibly underlying D1/D3 receptor interactions. In fact, D1 and D3 receptors colocalize in the islands of Calleja, in which they interact in opposition on c-fos mRNA expression, and in the shell of nucleus accumbens, in which they interact in synergy on substance P mRNA expression. The expression of the D3 receptor is highly dependent of the dopamine innervation: lesion of ascending dopamine neurons reduces D3 receptor mRNA and binding in the shell of nudeus accumbens, by deprivation of an unknown factor of dopamine neurons, distinct form dopamine and its cotransmitters. In agreement, expression of the D3 receptor in neurons during rat brain development starts after the settlement of dopamine innervation during the first postnatal week. However, in adult rats with a unilateral lesion of dopamine neurons, repeated treatment with levodopa rescues D3 receptor expression in the shell of nudeus accumbens and induces this expression in the dorsal striatum, a region controlling movements in which the D3 receptor is normally absent. This induction seems responsible for the behavioral sensitisation, i.e. increased responsiveness to levodopa. These observations suggest a role of the D3 receptor in the progressive increase in the therapeutic efficacy of levodopa in the initial treatment of Parkinson's disease, and/or its adversive motor and psychopathological effects during long-term treatment. Finally, various pharmacological and genetic data suggest a role of the D3 receptor in drug addiction and schizophrenia, the treatment of which could benefit from selective D3R agents.
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PMID:[Function and therapeutic potential of the dopamine D3 receptor]. 1010 7


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