title: Increased dopamine release in the right anterior cingulate cortex during the performance of a sorting task: a [11C]FLB 457 PET study.
abstract: There is clear evidence that the prefrontal cortex is strongly involved in executive processes and that dopamine can influence performance on working memory tasks. Although, some studies have emphasized the role of striatal dopamine in executive functions, the role played by prefrontal dopamine during executive tasks is unknown. In order to investigate cortical dopamine transmission during executive function, we used D(2)-dopamine receptor ligand [(11)C]FLB 457 PET in healthy subjects while performing the Montreal Card Sorting Task (MCST). During the retrieval with shift task of the MCST, the subjects had to match each test card to one of the reference cards based on a classification rule (color, shape or number) determined by comparing the previously viewed cue card and the current test card. A reduction in [(11)C]FLB 457 binding potential in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was observed when subjects performed the active task compared to the control task. These findings may suggest that right dorsal ACC dopamine neurotransmission increases significantly during the performance of certain executive processes, e.g., conflict monitoring, in keeping with previous evidence from fMRI studies showing ACC activation during similar tasks. These results may provide some insights on the origin of cognitive deficits underlying certain neurological disorders associated with dopamine dysfunction, such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: PET Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ptito
authors.forename: Oury
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Monchi
authors.forename: Sang Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van Eimeren
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellecchia
authors.forename: Benedicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ballanger
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rusjan
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houle
authors.forename: Antonio P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Strafella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012457:Salicylamides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012457:Salicylamides; C065065:FLB 457; D004298:Dopamine