title: Reduced brain serotonin transporter binding in patients with panic disorder.
abstract: There is strong evidence for the importance of the serotonin (5-HT) system in the neurobiology of panic disorder (PD); however, the exact role of this system remains unclear. The 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) is a key element in 5-HT neurotransmission. The current study aimed to investigate the binding of 5-HTT in the brain of patients with PD. We used single-photon emission computed tomography with a radioligand that specifically labels the 5-HTT, [(123)I]nor-beta-CIT. Subjects comprised eight patients with current PD, eight patients with PD in remission, and eight healthy control subjects. The patients with current PD showed a significant decrease in 5-HTT binding in the midbrain, in the temporal lobes and in the thalamus in comparison to the controls. The binding of 5-HTT in patients with PD in remission was similar to findings in the control group in the midbrain and in the temporal lobes, but lower in the thalamus. Regional 5-HTT binding significantly and negatively correlated with the severity of panic symptoms. These findings point to a dysregulation of the 5-HT system in PD patients. Altered function of 5-HTT appears to be related to the clinical status of patients. Clinical improvement in the patients in remission is associated with normalization of 5-HTT binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Tartu, Raja 31, Tartu 50417, Estonia. Eduard.Maron@kliinikum.ee
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maron
authors.forename: Jyrki T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kuikka
authors.forename: Jakov
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shlik
authors.forename: Veiko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasar
authors.forename: Esko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin