title: Brain DA D2 receptors predict reinforcing effects of stimulants in humans: replication study.
abstract: We had shown that striatal DA D2 receptors levels predicted the reinforcing responses to the psychostimulant drug methylphenidate in nondrug-abusing subjects. Here, we assessed the replicability of this finding. We measured D2 receptors with PET and [(11)C]raclopride (twice to determine stability) in seven nondrug-abusing subjects to assess if they predicted the self-reports of "drug-liking" to intravenous methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg). DA D2 measures were significantly correlated with "drug-liking" in both evaluations (r = 0.82 and r = 0.78); subjects with the lowest levels reported the higher ratings of "drug-liking" and vice versa. These results replicate our previous findings and provide further evidence that striatal DA D2 receptors modulate reinforcing responses to stimulants in humans and may underlie predisposition for drug self-administration.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA. volkow@bnl.gov.
authors.forename: Nora D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Volkow
authors.forename: Gene-Jack
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Joanna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Panayotis Peter K
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Thanos
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gatley
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.forename: Yu-Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.forename: Pether
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thanos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D008774:Methylphenidate