Estimates of regional cerebral blood flow and 5-HT2A receptor density in impulsive, aggressive dogs with 99mTc-ECD and 123I-5-I-R91150.
Impulsive aggression in dogs has an important impact on human public health. Better insight into the pathophysiology of this phenomenon could lead to more adequate diagnosis and treatment. Indirect in vivo research on peripheral body fluids and post-mortem studies in impulsive animals and humans indicate a deficient serotonergic system in general and disturbances in the serotonin-2A (5-HT2A) receptor in particular. In this study, brain perfusion and the 5-HT2A receptors were examined in impulsive, aggressive dogs, in comparison with a group of normally behaving animals. In order to decide which dogs to include in this study, owners were asked to describe the general behaviour of the dogs, the circumstances in which aggression occurred and their conduct during aggressive acts. Finally, 19 dogs were retained for this study, showing, according to different behavioural specialists, disinhibited dominance aggression. Functional imaging studies were performed on all these dogs. Single-photon emission tomography (SPET) was used to measure regional brain perfusion using technetium-99m labelled ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD). The 5-HT2A receptor binding properties were investigated using the selective radioligand iodine-123 labelled 5-I-R91150. A significant increase in uptake of the 5-HT2A radioligand was noted in all cortical areas. No significant alterations were found in regional cortical perfusion, indicating that the increased binding index was not a consequence of increased tracer delivery. This study supports a role for the serotonergic system in canine impulsive aggression.
Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Kathelijne.peremans@rug.ac.be
Kathelijne
K
Peremans
Kurt
K
Audenaert
Frank
F
Coopman
Peter
P
Blanckaert
Filip
F
Jacobs
Andreas
A
Otte
Francis
F
Verschooten
Henri
H
van Bree
Kees
K
van Heeringen
John
J
Mertens
Guido
G
Slegers
Rudi
R
Dierckx
D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010880:Piperidines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010880:Piperidines; C105020:R 91150; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; C059659:technetium Tc 99m bicisate; D003545:Cysteine