Cited by 1,090Schizophrenia research and treatmentNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorMental Health and Psychiatry

Relationship Between Dopamine D 2 Occupancy, Clinical Response, and Side Effects: A Double-Blind PET Study of First-Episode Schizophrenia

Kapur, Shitij, Zipursky, Robert, Jones, Corey, Remington, Gary, Houle, Sylvain·2000·American Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Since all antipsychotics block dopamine D(2) receptors, the authors investigated how well D(2) receptor occupancy in vivo predicts clinical response, extrapyramidal side effects, and hyperprolactinemia. METHOD: In a double-blind study, 22 patients with first-episode schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 1.0 or 2. 5 mg/day of haloperidol. After 2 weeks of treatment, D(2) receptor occupancy was determined with [(11)C]raclopride and positron emission tomography, and clinical response, extrapyramidal side effects, and prolactin levels were measured. Patients who showed adequate responses continued taking their initial doses, those who did not respond had their doses increased to 5.0 mg/day, and evaluations were repeated at 4 weeks for all patients. RESULTS: The patients showed a wide range of D(2) occupancy (38%-87%). The degree of receptor occupancy predicted clinical improvement, hyperprolactinemia, and extrapyramidal side effects. The likelihood of clinical response, hyperprolactinemia, and extrapyramidal side effects increased significantly as D(2) occupancy exceeded 65%, 72%, and 78%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that D(2) occupancy is an important mediator of response and side effects in antipsychotic treatment. The data are consistent with a "target and trigger" hypothesis of antipsychotic action, i.e., that the D(2) receptor specificity of antipsychotics permits them to target discrete neurons and that their antagonist properties trigger within those neurons intracellular changes that ultimately beget antipsychotic response. While limited to haloperidol, the relationship between D(2) occupancy and side effects in this study helps explain many of the observed clinical differences between typical and atypical antipsychotics.

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Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.4.514

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44 of 44 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • A minimum threshold of D2 antagonism is required before a clinical effect or adverse effects are seen.

    “There is a body of evidence that suggests that a minimum threshold of D2 antagonism is required before a clinical effect or adverse effects are seen108”

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Authors
Kapur, S., Zipursky, R., Jones, C., Remington, G., & Houle, S.
Affiliations
University of Toronto (CA)
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2000-04-01
Volume
157
Issue
4
Pages
514-520
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
OpenAlex
W2099185967
Cited by
1,090
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 57
FWCI
25.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
Keywords
dopamine D2 receptor occupancy, first-episode schizophrenia, haloperidol, extrapyramidal symptoms, hyperprolactinemia, [11C]raclopride PET, typical and atypical antipsychotics, dose-response relationship
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Basal Ganglia Diseases, Carbon Radioisotopes, Corpus Striatum, Double-Blind Method, Female, Haloperidol, Humans, Hyperprolactinemia, Male, Middle Aged, Schizophrenia, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Antipsychotic Agents, Treatment Outcome, Receptors, Dopamine D2, Raclopride, Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists

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