Opposing Patterns of Signaling Activation in Dopamine D 1 and D 2 Receptor-Expressing Striatal Neurons in Response to Cocaine and Haloperidol

Psychostimulants and other drugs of abuse activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the striatum, through combined stimulation of dopamine D(1) receptors (D1Rs) and glutamate NMDA receptors. Antipsychotic drugs activate similar signaling proteins in the striatum by blocking dopamine D(2) receptors (D2Rs). However, the neurons in which these pathways are activated by psychotropic drugs are not precisely identified. We used transgenic mice, in which enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression was driven by D1R promoter (drd1a-EGFP) or D2R promoter (drd2-EGFP). We confirmed the expression of drd1a-EGFP in striatonigral and drd2-EGFP in striatopallidal neurons. Drd2-EGFP was also expressed…

• UO
  University of North Texas
• AN
  Agence Nationale de la Recherche

  Award: ANR-05
• IN
  Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale