Imaging of serotonin transporters and its blockade by citalopram in patients with major depression using a novel SPECT ligand [123I]-ADAM.
We studied the midbrain SERT availability in patients with major depression and assessed the relation of SERT occupancy by citalopram to the treatment response. 21 non-medicated patients with major depression and 13 healthy controls were examined by [(123)I]-ADAM SPECT. The midbrain SERT availability (SERT V(3)'') was calculated using individual MRI scans. In 13/21 patients SPECT was repeated 7 days after oral medication with citalopram (10 mg/day). We found no significant difference in the mean midbrain SERT availability between the studied patients with major depression and healthy controls (0.86 +/- 0.27 vs. 0.71 +/- 0.44, p = 0.069). The mean SERT occupancy accounted to 61%. The degree of SERT blockade by citalopram did not correlate with the reduction in HAMD total score. Treatment with low-dosed citalopram caused individually variable occupancy of the midbrain-SERT and a rapid clinical improvement in 54% of the investigated patients.
Herold
N
N
Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiooncology, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany.
Uebelhack
K
K
Franke
L
L
Amthauer
H
H
Luedemann
L
L
Bruhn
H
H
Felix
R
R
Uebelhack
R
R
Plotkin
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002928:Cinanserin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D002928:Cinanserin; D015283:Citalopram; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C413491:2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine