title: Association between somatization subscale score and serotonin transporter availability in healthy volunteers--a single photon emission computed tomography study with [¹²³I] ADAM.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serotonin is one of the key neuromodulators involved in fundamental cerebral functions and behaviors. Previous study has demonstrated that somatization symptoms are probably associated with central serotonergic circuits, which are implicated in anxiety and nociception regulation. This study aims to examine the correlation between somatization subscale score and serotonin transporter (SERT) availability in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four healthy participants, 26 males and 38 females, were enrolled from the community and were administered the single somatization subscale of the Chinese symptom checklist 90 revised (SCL90-R). Single photon emission computed tomography with [(123)I] 2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine was also performed to examine SERT availability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The somatization scores were negatively correlated with SERT availability (Spearman's ρ = -0.35, p = 0.005), particularly in males (Spearman's ρ = -0.54, p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result reconfirmed the correlation between central serotonergic activity and the intensity of somatization symptoms, even in healthy participants. However, a gender difference exists in this correlation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Kao Chin
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzung Lieh
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: I Hui
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wei Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Po See
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kang-Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mei-Hsiu
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yen Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002928:Cinanserin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C413491:2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D002928:Cinanserin