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Major psychosis and dopamine: controversial features and some suggestions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Robert Miller
Robert Miller*
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Robert Miller, Department of Anatomy., University of Otago, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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Synopsis

Three problems with the dopamine hypothesis of major psychosis are pointed out: the long time-course of neuroleptic therapy; the absence of tolerance to the antipsychotic effects of neuroleptic drugs, or of a supersensitivity psychosis on drug withdrawal; and the absence of potent psychotogenic properties in the direct dopamine agonists. A resolution of these paradoxes is suggested relying on a role for dopamine in learning processes at a relatively high (cognitive) functional level. The hypothesis proposed is also used to explain the origin of some of the more distinctive psychotic symptoms.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , November 1984 , pp. 779 - 789
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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