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French researchers published in Science the loss of dopamine function in mice mutated to lack various retinoid receptors in the brain. The knockout mice showed statistically significant reductions in standard movement tests of dopamine-mediated motor skills. The receptors, RARbeta, RXRbeta, and RXRgamma, appear to be involved specifically in the control of locomotor behaviors, the researchers concluded.

The site of function appears to be in the brain, as muscle and peripheral nervous physiology appears intact in the animals. Moreover, marked reduction in the expression of genes and proteins of the D1 and D2 dopamine receptors was found in the striatum, a motor control center regulated by dopamine. ...