The role of the D3 dopamine receptor and its partial agonist cariprazine in patients with schizophrenia and substance use disorder

This article reports the current evidence on the role of dopamine dysregulations in DD, the pharmacological profile of cariprazine, a partial agonist of D3 and D2 dopamine receptors, and first clinical observations that may support its usefulness in the therapy of DD. PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for the keywords 'cariprazine,' 'schizophrenia,' 'dual disorder,' 'dopamine,' and 'dopamine receptor.' Preclinical and clinical studies, and reviews published in English were retrieved.EXPERT OPINION: Although the management of DD remains challenging, and the evidence for pharmacologic treatments is still unsatisfactory, cariprazine may be a candidate medication in DD due to its unique mechanism of action. Preliminary clinical experiences suggest that cariprazine has both antipsychotic and anticraving properties and should be considered early in patients with DD.PMID:37817489 | DOI:10.1080/14656566.2023.2266359
Source: Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Source Type: research