The effects of 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (R-THBP) on the central cholinergic and dopaminergic systems in the Rhesus monkey brain were investigated by positron emission tomography (PET) with the muscarinic cholinergic receptor ligands (N-[11C]methyl-benztropine) and dopaminergic receptor ligands selective for D1, D2, and D3 subtypes ([11C]SCH23390, N-[11C]methyl-spiperone, and (+)[11C]UH232, respectively). None of the doses (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg i.v.) of R-THBP used significantly affected the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF as determined by Raichle's H(2)15O method), and 10 mg/kg of R-THBP had little effect on the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) in the Rhesus monkey brain, as assessed by the graphical [18F]fluoro-deoxyglucose method. The effect of R-THBP on the muscarinic cholinergic system was dose dependent; while 3 mg/kg of R-THBP did not significantly alter the uptake ratio of N-[11C]methylbenztropine in several brain regions to that in the cerebellum, 10 and 30 mg/kg of R-THBP significantly reduced the uptake ratio in the thalamus, as well as in the frontal and temporal cortices. None of the doses (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg i.v.) of R-THBP tested affected [11C]SCH23390 (dopamine D1 receptor) binding. However, the k3 value for N-[11C]methyl-spiperone (dopamine D2 receptor) binding, which represents the association rate X Bmax value, was significantly decreased in the striatum. The uptake ratio of (+)[11C]UH232 (dopamine D3 receptor) in the striatum to that in the cerebellum was also decreased by administration of R-THBP (3 and 30 mg/kg i.v.). These findings suggest that R-THBP acts on dopamine D2 and D3 receptors selectively without markedly affecting dopamine D1 receptor binding. Furthermore, the changes in cholinergic and dopamine D2 and D3 receptors in vivo can not be attributed to a change in rCBF but may depend on the action of R-THBP.