This depends on binding affinity and to some extent dissociation rate. And as Pomzazed is pointing out, it won't literally displace the agonist from the receptor but if the binding affinity is higher it will displace is over time, as the agonist leaves the receptor the agonist takes it place and can prevent it from returning. Ligands with high association/dissociation rates are constantly bouncing around from one receptor to another, like a pinball, and ligands with low dissociation rates grab on and don't let go. So AFAIU you could introduce a ligand with a higher binding affinity than one currently binding to a receptor, but if the current occupant has an extremely low dissociation rate it will still take some time for it to be displaced.
Antagonists may often have higher binding affinities, after all I would guess its Ki needs to be lower than the natural ligand in order for it to be recognized as an antagonist, or at least bind more strongly than the most reference ligands, but intrinsic activity is independent of binding affinity.
The final part/bolded - I don't understand (edit: as in - whether it binds tightly or no, it's still gonna silence the receptor?)
I was under the impression an antagonist basically silenced the post synaptic receptor cascade - or brought it to basal level.
What I recall reading on competitive/non-competitive antagonists is quite hazy but - in any case - antagonist trumps agonist?
Okay so, their Ki values play a role - so on that note;
Cabergoline;
[TABLE="class: wikitable, width: 0"]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #EAECF0, align: center"]Receptor[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #EAECF0, align: left"]Binding Affinity (K
i [nM])[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #EAECF0, align: center"]Action[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1A[/TD]
[TD]20.0[/TD]
[TD]Agonist[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1B[/TD]
[TD]479[/TD]
[TD]Unknown[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1D[/TD]
[TD]8.71[/TD]
[TD]Unknown[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2A[/TD]
[TD]6.17[/TD]
[TD]Agonist[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2B[/TD]
[TD]1.17[/TD]
[TD]Agonist[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2C[/TD]
[TD]692[/TD]
[TD]Agonist[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Mianserin - all are antagonist or inverse agonist;
[TABLE="class: wikitable floatright, width: 0"]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1A[/TD]
[TD]400?2,600[/TD]
[TD]Human[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1B[/TD]
[TD]≥2,800[/TD]
[TD]Rat[/TD]
[TD]
[12][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1D[/TD]
[TD]220?400[/TD]
[TD]Human[/TD]
[TD]
[13][14][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1E[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT1F[/TD]
[TD]
13[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[TD]
[10][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2A[/TD]
[TD]
1.6?55[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[TD]
[15][16][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2B[/TD]
[TD]
1.6?20[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[TD]
[17][18][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT2C[/TD]
[TD]
0.63?6.5[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[TD]
[15][19][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT3[/TD]
[TD]
5.8?300[/TD]
[TD]
Rodent[/TD]
[TD]
[20][11][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT4[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT5A[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[TD]ND[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT6[/TD]
[TD]
55?81[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[TD]
[21][22][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5-HT7[/TD]
[TD]
48?56[/TD]
[TD]
Human[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Is with respect to Cabergoline inducing depression - again - the physiological outcome associated with activation or blockade of each of those subtypes.....
5ht2a/2c - I know are heteroexpression and control DA/NE release.
Outside of that - as to how cabergoline might induce depression??