title: The correlation between striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence quotient in healthy volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although a correlation between the central dopaminergic system and intelligence may exist, the results from imaging studies remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Striatal D2/D3 receptor availability of 64 healthy subjects was determined with the [123I]iodobenzamide ([123I]IBZM) ligand. Intelligence quotients (IQs) of the subjects were measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised (WAIS-R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In addition to age, left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability correlated positively with VIQ. In females, left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability was the only variable that correlated significantly with the similarities subtest of VIQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a relationship between left striatal D2/D3 receptor availability and verbal intelligence, which varies, predominantly in males.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuang Yang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsing Chiu
authors.forename: Tzung
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lieh Yeh
authors.forename: Po
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: See Chen
authors.forename: I Hui
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ching
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin Chu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014705:Verbal Behavior
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3