PET [11C]DASB imaging of serotonin transporters in patients with alcoholism.
OBJECTIVE
Alcoholism and aggression have each been associated with neurochemical measurements suggestive of decreased serotonin synaptic transmission. We measured densities of the serotonin transporter (SERT) in a moderate-sized sample of alcoholic patients who were assessed for aggressive characteristics.


METHODS
Thirty alcoholic inpatients and 18 healthy controls received a PET scan with [(11)C]-3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile. The alcoholic inpatients were classified as aggressive or nonaggressive based on a comparison between the top third and bottom third scores on the Buss-Durkee Hostility Index.


RESULTS
Using a pixel-wise comparison, no brain region showed significant alterations in SERT binding among the 3 groups of subjects (aggressive alcoholic subjects, nonaggressive alcoholic subjects, and healthy controls) or between the combined alcoholic group and healthy controls. None of the clinical measures (including measures of aggression) correlated with SERT binding in the alcoholic subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to prior imaging reports using the nonselective ligand [(123)I]beta-CIT, we found no significant alterations of SERT density in alcoholic patients.
Brown
Amira K
AK
Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, One Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. amirabrown@mail.nih.gov
George
David T
DT
Fujita
Masahiro
M
Liow
Jeih-San
JS
Ichise
Masanori
M
Hibbeln
Joseph
J
Ghose
Subroto
S
Sangare
Janet
J
Hommer
Daniel
D
Innis
Robert B
RB
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D019579:Neocortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism; D013440:Sulfides
C412822:3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)benzonitrile; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013440:Sulfides