5 Centrally Acting Dopamine D2 Receptor Ligands: Agonists

Abstract

The collected amount of research on D2 agonists is immense. The D2 research field has been, and still is, very dynamic. Despite this fact, only a few compounds have reached the clinic so far. At present there are clinical trials ongoing with partial D2 agonists possessing a range of intrinsic efficacies. Some of these agonists are tested for their potential effects in Parkinson's disease (high intrinsic efficacy), while others are tested for potential anti-psychotic effects (low intrinsic efficacy). An interesting possibility has arisen through the research on the synergism between D1 and D2 receptors. This could possibly be utilized in the alleviation of Parkinsonian symptomatology. The near future will show whether the compounds under evaluation hold promise for being new, valuable medicines for treating major diseases like Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.