A 412,997

A-412,997 is a drug which acts as a dopamine agonist that is used in scientific research. It is the first drug developed that is a highly selective agonist for the D₄ subtype, with significantly improved selectivity over older D₄-preferring compounds such as PD-168,077 and CP-226,269. In animal tests it improved cognitive performance in rats to a similar extent as methylphenidate, but without producing place preference or other signs of abuse liability. Also unlike other dopamine agonists, selective D₄ agonists do not cause side effects such as sedation and nausea, and so might have advantages over older dopamine agonist drugs.