Subjective Experience and Striatal Dopamine D₂ Receptor Occupancy in Patients With Schizophrenia Stabilized by Olanzapine or Risperidone

OBJECTIVE: The authors’ goal was to study the relationship between subjective experience during treatment with olanzapine or risperidone and dopamine D₂ receptor occupancy in stabilized patients with schizophrenia.METHOD: Subjective experience, psychopathology, and extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed, and D₂ receptor occupancy was determined with [¹²³I]iodobenzamide single photon emission computed tomography, in 22 patients whose schizophrenia was stabilized by olanzapine or risperidone.RESULTS: Subjective experience, depression, and negative symptoms were related to dopamine D₂ receptor occupancy, but extrapyramidal symptoms were not.CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence that negative subjective experience is related to high D₂ receptor occupancy. Longitudinal study is required because this relationship may have implications for dosing strategies.