D4 receptor

D4 receptor

Neurology A receptor present on GABAergic neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamic reticular nucleus, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra–pars reticulata; D4R is of clinical interest given its high affinity for clozapine, an atypical neuroleptic agent, which ↓ the positive and negative symptoms in acutely psychotic and treatment-resistant schizophrenics, without producing extrapyramidal signs; a recent report suggests that this effect may be due to D4R-mediated GABA modulation through disinhibition of excitatory transmission in intrinsic cortical, thalamocortical, and extrapyramidal pathways