Dopamine receptors

Dopamine is the most abundant catecholamine present in the mammalian brain, where it is responsible for a variety of functions including locomotion, neuroendocrine secretion, cognition, memory, learning, emotion, motivation and drive.  Dopamine also has a role in the periphery where it regulates catecholamine release, hormone secretion, and gastrointestinal motility.  The variety of physiological functions controlled by dopamine in the brain and periphery are mediated by five receptor subtypes, D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5.  These may be considered to be D1-like (D1 and D5) and D2-like (D2, D3 and D4 receptors) based on their transmembrane topologies, and functional and pharmacological properties. 

Dysregulation of dopamine transmission causes a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, social phobia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, drug and alcohol dependence, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and generation of pituitary tumours.  Drugs acting on dopamine receptors are important for management of several neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and Parkinson's disease. 

Further reading

Beaulieu et al (2015) Dopamine receptors - IUPHAR Review 13. Br J Pharmacol. 72(1) 1 PMID: 25671228

Martel and Gatti McArthur (2020) Dopamine Receptor Subtypes, Physiology and Pharmacology: New Ligands and Concepts in Schizophrenia. Front Pharmacol. 11 1003 PMID: 32765257

Vallone et al (2020) Structure and function of dopamine receptors. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 24(1) 125 PMID: 10654668