Dopamine D1-D2 receptor heteromer signaling pathway in the brain: emerging physiological relevance

• Published in: Molecular brain Vol. 4; no. 1; p. 26
• Main Authors: Hasbi, Ahmed, O'Dowd, Brian F, George, Susan R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 13-06-2011; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Addictions; Addictive behaviors; Amphetamines; Animals; Artificial chromosomes; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Behavior; Brain - physiology; Brain research; Cellular signal transduction; Cloning; Dopamine; Dopamine receptors; Genetic aspects; Humans; Kinases; Mental health; Neurons; Neurosciences; Physiological aspects; Proteins; Receptors, Dopamine D1 - metabolism; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - metabolism; Review; Rodents; Schizophrenia; Signal Transduction; Studies; Substance abuse treatment; Canada
• ISSN: 1756-6606; 1756-6606
• DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-4-26

Dopamine is an important catecholamine neurotransmitter modulating many physiological functions, and is linked to psychopathology of many diseases such as schizophrenia and drug addiction. Dopamine D1 and D2 receptors are the most abundant dopaminergic receptors in the striatum, and although a clear segregation between the pathways expressing these two receptors has been reported in certain subregions, the presence of D1-D2 receptor heteromers within a unique subset of neurons, forming a novel signaling transducing functional entity has been shown. Recently, significant progress has been made in elucidating the signaling pathways activated by the D1-D2 receptor heteromer and their potential physiological relevance.