Other non-dopaminergic regulatory receptor systems in striatum

OTHER (NON-DOPAMINERGIC) REGULATORY RECEPTOR SYSTEMS IN STRIATUM 

An example of a receptor subtype that shows a similar pattern to the dopamine receptor distribution is the a2 adenosine receptor. The mRNA encoding this receptor 

GABA and glutamate receptors are two classes of neurotransmitter receptors that are critically important to striatal function. Adequate description of these systems within the basal ganglia warrants a review that is beyond the scope of this chapter. Recent description of the distribution of the genes encoding the different subunits of both GABA and glutamate receptors are listed for reference. 

As described above, regulation of the relative activity in striatopallidal and striatonigral neurons may be effected through the direct actions of dopamine on receptor subtypes that are differentially expressed by these two output neuron populations. However, there are multiple other neurotransmitter/receptor systems that may also function to regulate the activity of these neurons. At this time the multiplicity of interactions that presumably occur during the normal functioning of the striatum have not been worked out in any detail. Some plausible cellular interactions may be suggested based on both neu-roanatomical and receptor localization studies. 

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