Differences of cortical 5-HT2A receptor binding index with SPECT in subtypes of anorexia nervosa: relationship with personality traits?
OBJECTIVE
Using single photon emission computed tomography and the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, 123I-5-I-R91150, we explored differences in 5-HT2A binding index in anorexia nervosa patients with and without bulimic features. We also searched for associations between temperament dimensions and cortical 5-HT2) binding.


METHODS
About 9 restrictive and 7 bulimic anorexia nervosa patients were examined and cortical 123I-5-I-R91150 binding index values were compared between the two subgroups. Open explorative correlation analysis was used to examine any relationships between binding index values and temperament scores, as assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory.


RESULTS
5-HT2A binding index was significantly reduced in the parietal cortex in bulimic anorexia nervosa patients in comparison with restrictive anorectics. Further, a positive correlation was documented between reward dependence and parietal 5-HT2A binding index across patients in the two subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
Restrictive anorexia nervosa patients differ from binging/purging anorexia nervosa patients on the basis of a reduced parietal 5-HT2A binding index in the latter. We speculate that the finding of a positive correlation between parietal 5-HT2A binding and reward dependence might reflect an association between these two variables, at least in anorexia nervosa patients.
Goethals
Ingeborg
I
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan, 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. ingeborg@goethals@ugent.be
Vervaet
Myriam
M
Audenaert
Kurt
K
Jacobs
Filip
F
Ham
Hamphrey
H
Van de Wiele
Christophe
C
Vandecapelle
Marleen
M
Slegers
Guido
G
Dierckx
Rudi
R
van Heeringen
Cees
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D001665:Binding Sites; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D002605:Character; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000378:metabolism*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A