Dopamine, the prefrontal cortex and schizophrenia.
Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in schizophrenia has been suspected based on observations from clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. Since the PFC receives a dense dopaminergic innervation, abnormalities of the mesocortical dopamine system have been proposed to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this review, aspects of the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of the mesencephalic-frontal cortical dopamine system as they may relate to schizophrenia are described, and evidence for altered dopaminergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex of schizophrenic patients is presented.
Knable
M B
MB
National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, Washington, DC 20032, USA. knablem@dirpc.nimh.nih.gov
Weinberger
D R
DR
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D004298:Dopamine