Dopamine D₂/₃ receptor availability in the striatum of antipsychotic-free older patients with schizophrenia-A [¹¹C]-raclopride PET study.

Background: No study has examined dopamine D₂/₃ receptor (D₂/₃R) availability in antipsychotic-free older patients with schizophrenia.
Methods: We included patients with schizophrenia 50 years or older who were antipsychotic-free for at least 3 months. We compared non-displaceable binding potential (BPND) of [(11)C]-raclopride in the caudate, putamen, ventral striatum, and globus pallidus between patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls.
Results: Ten patients participated (antipsychotic-naive=4). No differences in BPND were found between patients and controls in any ROIs (F(1, 72)=.42, p=.52).
Conclusion: The preliminary results suggest no differences in D₂/₃R availability between antipsychotic-free older patients with schizophrenia and controls.
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