title: beta2 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Availability of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing beta2 subunits (beta2-nAChRs) was studied in unmedicated, symptomatic patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and healthy control subjects, all current non-smokers. A subgroup of participants had a history of smoking. Availability of beta2-nAChRs in the mesiotemporal cortex, prefrontal cortex, thalamus and striatum was determined using the radiotracer [123I]5-IA-85380 ([123I]5-IA) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Never-smoking PTSD patients compared to never-smoking healthy controls showed significantly higher [123I]5-IA binding in the mesiotemporal cortex (ANOVA: F=6.21, d.f.=1, 11, p=0.030). Among all PTSD patients, there was a significant correlation between the re-experiencing symptom cluster and thalamic [123I]5-IA binding (R2=0.66, p=0.019, Bonferroni corrected). These findings not only suggest an involvement of beta2-nAChRs in the pathophysiology of PTSD but also raise the possibility that this receptor may be a novel molecular target for drug development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06516, USA.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czermak
authors.forename: Julie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Staley
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasserman
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bois
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Shannan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Gilles D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Tamagnan
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Seibyl
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Krystal
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neumeister
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001384:Azetidines; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
chemical_list: D001384:Azetidines; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C426745:5-iodo-3-(2-azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine