The time course of changes in D1 and D2 receptor binding in the striatum following a selective lesion of striatonigral neurons.

The suicide transport agent volkensin was used to produce a selective lesion of striatonigral projection neurons and the time course of changes in binding at striatal D1 and D2 receptors analyzed. Both show a time-dependent decrease with two-thirds of the total change occurring within the first 10 days and a greater decrease in D1 receptor density at all time points. Our results confirm selective localization of D1 receptors to striatonigral neurons and are consistent with localization of some striatal D2 receptors to striatonigral neurons.