Differential inhibition by dopamine D-1 and D-2 antagonists of circling behaviour induced by dopamine agonists in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions.

The selective dopamine (DA) D-1 antagonist SCH 23390 antagonized the contralateral circling behaviour induced by the DA D-1 agonist SK & F 38393 in rats lesioned unilaterally with 6-hydroxy-DA but had a 600 times weaker effect against the preferential DA D-2 agonist pergolide. The D-2 antagonists clebopride and spiroperidol had the reverse selectivity. The mixed D-1/D-2 antagonists cis(Z)-flupentixol and cis(Z)-clopenthixol blocked the circling induced by either agonist. It is concluded that circling behaviour is mediated by closely related but independent DA D-1 and D-2 receptor sites.