Effects of hippocampal kainic acid lesions on striatolimbic dopamine D1-, D2-, and D4-like receptors.

Changes in D1-, D2- and D4-like dopamine receptor binding in rat caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus were examined by quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography after unilateral injections of kainic acid into hippocampus to degenerate local intrinsic neurons and remove hippocampal-striatal projections. Radioligands were: [3H]SCH-23390 for D1-like (D1/D5) receptors, [3H]nemonapride alone for D2-like (D2/D3/D4) receptors and with 300 nM S[-]-raclopride and other masking agents for D4-like receptors. Kainic acid injections produced massive local hippocampal losses of D1-like (75%), D2-like (77%) and D4-like (79%) receptor binding but did not significantly alter D1-, D2- or D4-like receptor density in caudate-putamen or nucleus accumbens. Most D1-, D2- and D4-like receptors in rat hippocampus evidently arise on intrinsic postsynaptic neurons whereas none was detected on presynaptic terminals of hippocampal-striatal afferents innervating the striatal complex.