title: Progesterone level predicts serotonin-1a receptor binding in the male human brain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Progesterone (P) is thought to influence mood and affective states. Alterations of the inhibitory serotonin-1A (5-HT(1A)) receptor distribution are associated with depression and anxiety. This study evaluates the influence of plasma P levels on the 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in healthy male subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Molecular neuroimaging of the 5-HT(1A) receptor distribution using positron emission tomography and hormone assays for total plasma P and cortisol were done in a sample of 18 healthy men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma P levels explained up to 65% of the variability in 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in limbic regions including the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex and retrosplenial cortex. When controlling for cortisol in the model, there was an expected decline in explained variances of 5-HT(1A) binding attributed to P.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study provide further support for the effect of P on 5-HT(1A) receptor expression and raise the possibility that P mediates the vulnerability to mood disorders by affecting the serotonergic system.
authors: Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. rupert.lanzenberger @ meduniwien.ac.at
authors: Rupert
authors: R
authors: Lanzenberger
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Mitterhauser
authors: Georg S
authors: GS
authors: Kranz
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Spindelegger
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Wadsak
authors: Patrycja
authors: P
authors: Stein
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Moser
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Savli
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Kletter
authors: Siegfried
authors: S
authors: Kasper