Enhanced dopamine transporter density in psychotropic-naive patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder shown by [123I]{beta}-CIT SPECT.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examine the functional anatomy of serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in obsessive-compulsive disorder in psychotropic-naive patients without comorbidity.


METHODS
[(123)I]beta-CIT binding patterns for dopamine and serotonin transporters in the brain were measured in 15 psychotropic-naive adult outpatients with OCD (no comorbidity) and in 15 pairwise-matched healthy subjects. Volumes of interest were constructed on magnetic resonance imaging scans and coregistered with single photon emission computed tomography scans. Binding ratios were compared, and possible correlations between binding patterns and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were assessed.


RESULTS
There were significant differences between patients and healthy subjects in the [(123)I]beta-CIT binding pattern for dopamine transporter in the left caudate and left putamen. Patients had higher binding ratios than healthy subjects. No differences were found in the less specific [(123)I]beta-CIT binding pattern for serotonin transporters in the selected volumes of interest. Hemispheric within-group comparisons revealed no asymmetry effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study provide direct evidence for an involvement of the dopaminergic system in the pathophysiology of OCD.
van der Wee
Nic J
NJ
Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, B1-P, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands. n.j.a.van_der_wee@lumc.nl
Stevens
Henk
H
Hardeman
Johannes A
JA
Mandl
Rene C
RC
Denys
Damiaan A
DA
van Megen
Harold J
HJ
Kahn
René S
RS
Westenberg
Herman M
HM
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011699:Putamen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C069723:2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane; D003042:Cocaine; D004298:Dopamine