Cariprazine More Potent Than Aripiprazole at Dopamine D3 Receptors
Cariprazine is a new atypical antipsychotic that has positive results in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar mania and depression, and as an add-on treatment to antidepressants in unipolar depression. In a recent study by Frank Tarazi and colleagues, cariprazine shared some actions with aripiprazole (trade name Abilify), which is approved by the Federal Drug Administration as an adjunctive treatment for unipolar depression in addition to treating mania in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Both cariprazine and aripiprazole partially block dopamine receptors. They allow a little stimulation of the receptors (activating or agonist effects) while preventing dopamine from binding there. With ongoing treatment, this blocking action prompts an increase in the number of dopamine receptors to compensate for the blocking.
In rats, both drugs led to increases in several types of dopamine receptors, but cariprazine did so at lower doses. Following 28 days of treatment with aripiprazole at doses of 5–15 mg/kg, rats had higher levels of D2 and D4 receptors in several brain regions than other rats that received no drug. Higher doses of aripiprazole also increased D3 receptors in some regions, indicating that the drug works less well at those receptors. Lower doses of cariprazine (0.06–0.6 mg/kg) increased D2 and D4 receptors significantly, and increased D3 receptors more than aripiprazole did, and in a greater number of forebrain regions.
Among antipsychotic drugs, both aripiprazole and cariprazine are unique in providing a little stimulation (partial agonist effects) at dopamine receptors, while all others drugs in the class are pure blockers (antagonists) of dopamine receptors.
The researchers concluded that cariprazine was more potent than aripiprazole at dopamine receptors, especially D3 receptors.
