Dopamine transporter density in patients with tardive dyskinesia: a single photon emission computed tomography study.
BACKGROUND
Tardive dyskinesia occurs frequently in schizophrenic patients chronically treated with classical antipsychotic medication. It may be caused by loss of dopaminergic cells, due to free radicals as a product of high synaptic dopamine levels.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate dopamine transporter density in the striatum in patients with tardive dyskinesia.


METHODS
Striatal [123I]FP-CIT binding was measured with SPECT in seven schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia and eight healthy controls.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found between striatal [123I]FP-CIT binding ratios in patients with tardive dyskinesia and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary study indicates no change in striatal dopamine transporter density in schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia. This finding does not support the hypothesis that tardive dyskinesia is caused by dopaminergic cell loss.
Lavalaye
J
J
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.lavalaye@amc.uva.nl
Sarlet
A
A
Booij
J
J
Linszen
D H
DH
Reneman
L
L
Gersons
B P
BP
van Royen
E A
EA
D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D020820:Dyskinesias / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins