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Haloperidol but Not Clozapine Increases Neurotensin Receptor mRNA Levels in Rat Substantia Nigra
Author(s) -
BoldenWatson Carolyn,
Watson Michael A.,
Murray Karl D.,
Isackson Paul J.,
Richelson Elliott
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1993.tb03631.x
Subject(s) - haloperidol , substantia nigra , ventral tegmental area , clozapine , neurotensin , medicine , endocrinology , in situ hybridization , dopamine , chemistry , pharmacology , receptor , neuropeptide , dopaminergic , messenger rna , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , biochemistry , gene
We examined the effects of chronic (2 weeks) treatment with a typical neuroleptic, haloperidol (1 mg/kg, s.c.), and an atypical neuroleptic, clozapine (20 mg/kg, s.c.), on neurotensin receptor (NTR) mRNA levels by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Quantitative OD analysis showed haloperidol‐induced NTR mRNA levels in the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/ VTA) 110% over control levels (significant difference from the control, p < 0.05). In contrast, the same analysis applied to the sections from clozapine‐treated animals showed no significant change in NTR mRNA levels compared with matched control sections ( p > 0.05). Thus, chronic treatment with haloperidol but not clozapine resulted in elevated levels of NTR mRNA within the SN/VTA. These results suggest that the high incidence of extrapyramidal side effects of typical neuroleptics could result from changes in NTR expression in the SN/VTA.