- The drug binds to the receptor even at low doses 
- Stays bound for a longer period of time

Rutgers University

- Also called affinity 
- The attraction between a drug/ligand to a receptor 
- Drugs can have a high or low binding affinity for receptors

Binding Affinity 

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

High Binding Affinity 

- The drug needs higher doses to bind to receptors
- Binds for a shorter amount of time 

Low Binding Affinity 

- Different concentrations of low and high-affinity drugs


In the case of equal concentrations of low and high-affinity drugs: 
- High-affinity drug binds more to drug receptors than the low-affinity drug 
- High-affinity drug will be more potent if both drugs have an equivalent effect on receptors 

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