Effect of antipsychotic treatment on cortical D1 receptors

D1 receptors are the main mediators of dopamine transmission in the cortex and subserve cognitive functions that are affected in patients with schizophrenia. Prior imaging studies have suggested abnormalities in the expression of these receptors in schizophrenia, but no conclusive picture has emerged yet. One source of discrepancy may have been prior antipsychotic exposure. The goal of this study was to determine D1 receptor expression in separate groups of patients with schizophrenia, with or without prior antipsychotic exposure, compared to respectively matched controls.