title: Gender differences in brain serotonin transporter availability in panic disorder.
abstract: The role of the serotonin (5-HT) system in the neurobiology and treatment of panic disorder (PD) remains unproven. Previously we detected lower brain 5-HT transporter (SERT) availability in PD, but the findings were preliminary and mainly limited to female patients. The aim of this study was to assess non-displaceable brain SERT binding potential (BP (ND)) in male and female patients with PD. The SERT BP (ND) was measured in groups of patients with PD (five males and six females) and matched healthy control subjects (12 males and 12 females) using positron emission tomography (PET) and [¹¹C]MADAM tracer. SERT BP (ND) were significantly higher in 13 of 20 studied brain regions, including several cortical and raphe areas, but lower in the hippocampus in males with PD as compared with healthy males. No significant differences in SERT BP (ND) were observed between female patients and controls. The results suggest gender-dependent regional differences in brain SERT availability and converge with previous PET findings of reduced 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in similar brain areas in PD. Distinctive functioning of the 5-HT system in males and females may underlie certain gender-dependent differences in expressions of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Molecular Imaging, Imperial College London, London, UK. e.maron@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maron
authors.forename: Innar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tõru
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tuominen
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lumme
authors.forename: Veiko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasar
authors.forename: Jakov
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shlik
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Nutt
authors.forename: Semi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helin
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Någren
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: Jarmo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hietala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001596:Benzylamines; D001665:Binding Sites; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; C470437:N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-methylphenylthio)benzylamine; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins