Increased dopamine D2/D3 receptor binding after recovery from anorexia nervosa measured by positron emission tomography and [11c]raclopride.
BACKGROUND
Several lines of evidence support the possibility that disturbances of dopamine (DA) function could contribute to alterations of weight, feeding, motor activity, and reward in anorexia nervosa (AN).


METHODS
To assess possibly trait-related disturbances but avoid confounding effects of malnutrition, 10 women who were recovered from AN (REC AN) were compared with 12 healthy control women (CW). Positron emission tomography with [(11)C]raclopride was used to assess DA D2/D3 receptor binding.


RESULTS
The women who were recovered from AN had significantly higher [(11)C]raclopride binding potential in the antero-ventral striatum than CW. For REC AN, [(11)C]raclopride binding potential was positively related to harm avoidance in the dorsal caudate and dorsal putamen.


CONCLUSIONS
These data lend support for the possibility that decreased intrasynaptic DA concentration or increased D2/D3 receptor density or affinity is associated with AN and might contribute to the characteristic harm avoidance or increased physical activity found in AN. Most intriguing is the possibility that individuals with AN might have a DA related disturbance of reward mechanisms contributing to altered hedonics of feeding behavior and their ascetic, anhedonic temperament.
Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, California, USA.
Guido K
GK
Frank
Ursula F
UF
Bailer
Shannan E
SE
Henry
Wayne
W
Drevets
Carolyn C
CC
Meltzer
Julie C
JC
Price
Chester A
CA
Mathis
Angela
A
Wagner
Jessica
J
Hoge
Scott
S
Ziolko
Nicole
N
Barbarich-Marsteller
Lisa
L
Weissfeld
Walter H
WH
Kaye
D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000855:Anorexia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D020891:Raclopride; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012201:Reward
D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D020891:Raclopride