Topic: dopamine D2 receptors

The globus pallidus externa (GPe) is a basal ganglia structure with a high content of astrocytes compared to neighboring brain regions. Apart from its well-known role in locomotor behavior, recent studies showed that the GPe is also involved in cognitive functions, motivated behavior and sensory integration. The vast majority of studies has focused on neuronal subpopulations in GPe, while the function of the numerically superior astrocytes remain elusive. Recently, we showed that astrocytes in GPe express dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs), and their selective manipulation can have profound effects

Schizophrenia presents as a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by a heterogeneous genetic and neurobiological background. Unfortunately, the prevailing mechanistic remains incompletely elucidated. A dopaminergic basis for schizophrenia has been proposed, implicating an upregulation in dopaminergic neurotransmission. This notion is supported by observations of behavioral hypersensitivity to dopamine receptor-activating drugs in individuals with schizophrenia, as well as postmortem analyses revealing elevated density of dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) in the striatum of schizophrenia patient