D2 receptor mRNA expression

In the adult brain, the D2 mRNA expression is widespread in the striatum with predominant expression within the matrix, proenkephalin indirect striatal pathway that innervates the external segment of the globus pallidus (see Graybiel and Penney, 1999). D2 mRNA expression also has a greater association with the matrix compartment during early human development (Brana et al., 1997). 

The D2 mRNA expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis is particularly strong as well as in the magnocellular complex of the basal forebrain including the diagonal band of Broca and the nucleus basalis of Meynert (Gurevich et al., 1997a Hurd et al., 2001). In contrast to the virtual lack of the D signal in the human 

The hypothalamus also shows a more preferential expression of the D2 as compared to the Di family of dopamine receptors (Hurd et al., 2001 see Figs. 7-10). D2 mRNA-expressing cells have been found in most of the major hypothalamic nuclei, in particular the lateral and ventromedial nuclei (Gurevich and Joyce, 1999). Strong expression of the D2 mRNA has also been detected in the premammillary nucleus (Hurd et al., 2001). 

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SpyrakiC., SealfonS. Regulation of dopamine D2 receptor mRNA expression in the olfactory tubercle by cocaine. Mol. Brain Res. 19 313, 1993. 

Gurevich EV, Kordower JH, Joyce JN (2000) Ontogeny of the dopamine D2 receptor mRNA expressing cells in the human hippocampal formation and temporal neocortex. J Chem Neuroanat 20 307-325. 

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