title: Effects of early-life stress on serotonin(1A) receptors in juvenile Rhesus monkeys measured by positron emission tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traumatic experiences in early childhood are associated with increased risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders later in life. Low serotonin(1A) receptor (5-HT(1A)R) density during development has been proposed as a trait-like characteristic leading to increased vulnerability of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the relationship between early-life stress and alterations in the serotonin system during development, we used positron emission tomography to measure in vivo 5-HT(1A)R density and apparent dissociation constant (K(D)(app)) in the brain of juvenile Rhesus monkeys exposed to the early-life stress of peer-rearing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, 5-HT(1A)R density and K(D)(app) were decreased in peer-reared compared with control mother-reared animals. However, increase in receptor density was found in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex of peer-reared females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that exposure to an adverse early-life environment during infancy is associated with long-term alterations in the serotonin system and support previous studies suggesting that reduced 5-HT(1A)R density during development might be a factor increasing vulnerability to stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. Furthermore, alterations in the serotonin system seemed to be gender- and region-specific, providing a biological basis for the higher prevalence of affective disorders in women.
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Poolesville, MD, USA. spinellis@kennedykrieger.org
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spinelli
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chefer
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jagoda
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heilig
authors.forename: Christina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Suomi
authors.forename: J Dee
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Higley
authors.forename: Elliot A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D010879:Piperazines / Q000032:analysis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000032:analysis; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods; D011897:Random Allocation; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000032:analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C520057:4-fluoro-N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyrimidinyl)benzamide; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid