Dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia: making sense of it all

Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2007 Aug;9(4):329-36. doi: 10.1007/s11920-007-0041-7.

Abstract

The dopamine (DA) hypothesis of schizophrenia has evolved over the last decade from the stage of circumstantial evidence related to clinical observations and empirical validation from antipsychotic treatment to finally reach more direct testing and validation from imaging studies. These have provided much information that allows us at this point to assemble all the pieces and attempt to synthesize them and integrate them with the other neurotransmitter alterations observed in this illness. Although clearly not sufficient to explain the complexity of this disorder, the DA dysregulation offers a direct relationship to symptoms and to their treatment. We will review here its history, validation, and implications for treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / physiopathology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Dopamine / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiopathology
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / drug effects
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / physiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Schizophrenia / genetics
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Dopamine