Addendum: Pharmacology and psychiatry

Abstract

Interest has recently focused on the possibility that the efficacy of drugs used in schizophrenia depends on their ability to alter disposition of cerebral dopamine. Thus, Phenothiazines and butyrophenones elevate dopamine turnover in the brain. (Andén, Roos, and Werdinius, 1964; Laverty and sharman, 1965; Sharman, 1966; Andén, Butcher, Corrodi, Fuxe, and Ungerstedt, 1970); Compounds which are clinically the most potent are those with greatest effect on dopamine turnover (Laverty and Sharman, 1965; O'Keeffe, Sharman, and Vogt, 1970). Augmented turnover is thought to be a consequence of the blockade of central dopamine receptors by these drugs. X-ray crystallography has revealed a similarity of the dopamine conformation to part of the chlorpromazine structure, suggesting that of the chlorpromazine structure, suggesting that phenothiazines can occupy dopamine receptors (Horn and snyder, 1971). More conclusively, in cats, dogs, and rabbits, chlorpromazine antagonized vascular effects of dopamine (Rossum, 1966; Yeh, McNay, and Goldberg, 1969; Brotzu, 1970); and haloperidol considerably diminished motor effects evoked by dopamine infused into the brain of cats and fowls (Cools and Rossum, 1970; Marley and Nistico, 1972).