Increased medial orbitofrontal [18F]fluorodopa uptake in Parkinsonian impulse control disorders.
BACKGROUND
Impulse control disorders (ICDs) occur frequently in PD patients.


METHODS
To investigate the possible involvement of the mesostriatal and mesolimbic monoaminergic function in ICDs associated with PD, we examined patients with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) ICDs using the brain [(18) F]fluorodopa PET.


RESULTS
Patients with ICDs (e.g., pathological gambling, hypersexuality, and compulsive eating) showed up to 35% higher [(18) F]fluorodopa uptake in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, compared to control patients, but no differences in the striatum. The results remained significant also after excluding subjects with comorbid psychiatric disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased monoaminergic activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex might be associated with increased sensitivity for ICDs under dopamine-replacement therapy in PD.
Department of Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. jtjout@utu.fi
Juho
J
Joutsa
Kirsti
K
Martikainen
Solja
S
Niemelä
Jarkko
J
Johansson
Sarita
S
Forsback
Juha O
JO
Rinne
Valtteri
V
Kaasinen
D000368:Aged; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine