title: Dopaminergic mechanisms of reduced basal ganglia responses to hedonic reward during interferon alfa administration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory cytokines or cytokine inducers can alter basal ganglia activity, including reducing responsiveness to rewarding stimuli that may be mediated by cytokine effects on dopamine function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether long-term administration of the inflammatory cytokine interferon alfa reduces the basal ganglia response to reward and whether such changes are associated with decreased presynaptic striatal dopamine function and altered behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient research unit and neuroimaging facilities at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medically stable adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection eligible for interferon alfa treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neural activity in the ventral striatum during a hedonic reward task as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging, uptake and turnover of radiolabeled fluorodopa F 18 (18F-dopa) in caudate and putamen using positron emission tomography, and interferon alfa-induced depression, anhedonia, fatigue, and neurotoxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with HCV receiving interferon alfa for 4 to 6 weeks (n = 14) exhibited significantly reduced bilateral activation of the ventral striatum in the win vs lose condition of a gambling task compared with patients with HCV awaiting interferon alfa treatment (n = 14). Reduced activation of the ventral striatum was, in turn, significantly correlated with anhedonia, depression, and fatigue. In a separate longitudinal study, patients with HCV treated with interferon alfa for 4 to 6 weeks (n = 12) exhibited significantly increased 18F-dopa uptake and decreased 18F-dopa turnover in caudate and putamen and in the same ventral striatal regions identified in the functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Baseline and percentage change in 18F-dopa uptake and turnover were correlated with behavioral alterations, including depression, fatigue, and neurotoxicity, during interferon alfa administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data replicate and extend findings that inflammatory stimuli, including inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon alfa, alter basal ganglia activity and behavior in association with significant changes in presynaptic striatal dopamine function consistent with decreased dopamine synthesis or release.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, National Institute for Agricultural Research 1286 - University Victor Segalen Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Lucile
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capuron
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagnoni
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: Bobbi J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Woolwine
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Spivey
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Votaw
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012201:Reward
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine