Correlation between the SERT binding densities in hypothalamus and amygdala in Cloninger type 1 and 2 alcoholics.
Serotonin plays a role in the regulation of emotional states in amygdala which in turn affect the function of hypothalamus. The physiological effects of emotions are mediated to autonomic nervous system by the hypothalamus, also innervated by the serotonergic Raphe nuclei.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the putative alterations of the serotonin transporter (SERT) density in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamus of Cloninger type 1 and 2 (early onset, anti-social) alcoholics and controls.


METHODS
The study was performed by human whole-hemisphere auto-radiography with [3H]citalopram.


RESULTS
Substantially sparser SERT density (-26%) with a moderate effect size (0.53) was observed in the hypothalamus of alcoholic subjects in relation to non-alcoholic comparison subjects, although the result failed to reach statistical significance. In type 2 alcoholics, there was a trend towards decreased SERT binding with large effect size (0.88), and no correlation between the SERT binding and the age at the time of death. There was a strong positive correlation between the SERT binding in amygdala and in PVN in type 2 alcoholics (P = 0.001), and negative correlation in type 1 alcoholics (P = 0.05), and no correlation in the control subjects. The difference between the groups was significant (chi2 = 16.75, P = 0.0002).


CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, these preliminary results support the hypothesis that the serotonergic regulation in the hypothalamus and amygdala are defected especially in type 2 alcoholics.
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, FI-70240, Finland. markus.storvik@uku.fi
Markus
M
Storvik
Tuija
T
Haukijärvi
Erkki
E
Tupala
Jari
J
Tiihonen
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000679:Amygdala / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004298:Dopamine