beta2 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability in post-traumatic stress disorder.
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.
Czermak
Christoph
C
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06516, USA.
Staley
Julie K
JK
Kasserman
Sue
S
Bois
Frederic
F
Young
Theresa
T
Henry
Shannan
S
Tamagnan
Gilles D
GD
Seibyl
John P
JP
Krystal
John H
JH
Neumeister
Alexander
A
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
D001384:Azetidines; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011725:Pyridines; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C426745:5-iodo-3-(2-azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine