Project Summary

Rajesh Narendran, M.B., B.S. (Young Investigator 2002) of New York State Psychiatric Institute, will attempt to resolve the contradictory imaging results of dopamine-2 (D2) obtained with butyrophenones and benzamides by conducting experiments to evaluate the effect of acute dopamine depletion on the binding of different radiotracers in rats using a microPET camera and to evaluate the affinity of the different radiotracers for internalized versus surface receptors using competition experiments in dopamine receptor transfected cells.  If confirmed, these experiments will provide a framework for targeted development of PET radioligands that are appropriate to report on neurotransmitter changes, which will provide new tools to study the involvement of specific transmitter systems in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia

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