Diminished brain 5-HT transporter binding in major depression: a positron emission tomography study with [11C]DASB.
BACKGROUND
The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) plays a critical role in the regulation of serotonin neurotransmission and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression. In a previous positron emission tomography study, we found no difference in brain 5-HTT binding between unmedicated recovered depressed patients and healthy controls.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to assess brain 5-HTT binding in a group of unmedicated acutely depressed patients in comparison to healthy controls.


METHODS
We studied 5-HTT binding using [(11)C]DASB in conjunction with positron emission tomography in 12 medication-free depressed patients with a mean duration of illness of about 1 year and 24 healthy controls.


RESULTS
The depressed patients had lowered 5-HTT binding in several brain regions including brain stem, thalamus, caudate, putamen, anterior cingulate cortex and frontal cortex.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that diminished availability of the 5-HTT in the brain may be a state marker of acute depression. Alternatively, low 5-HTT binding may delineate a group of depressed patients with a poor long-term prognosis.
Selvaraj
Sudhakar
S
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Murthy
Naga Venkatesha
NV
Bhagwagar
Zubin
Z
Bose
Subrata K
SK
Hinz
Rainer
R
Grasby
Paul M
PM
Cowen
Philip J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D011485:Protein Binding; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013440:Sulfides
C412822:3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)benzonitrile; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013440:Sulfides