title: Diminished brain 5-HT transporter binding in major depression: a positron emission tomography study with [11C]DASB.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selvaraj
authors.forename: Naga Venkatesha
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: Zubin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bhagwagar
authors.forename: Subrata K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Grasby
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cowen
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: C412822:3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)benzonitrile; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013440:Sulfides