title: Decreased brainstem and putamen SERT binding potential in depressed suicide attempters using [11C]-zient PET imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficits in serotonergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression and suicidality. The present study utilized a novel positron-emission tomography (PET) ligand to quantitate and compare brain regional serotonin transporter (SERT) binding potential in depressed patients with a past history of suicide attempts to that of healthy comparison subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used [(11) C]-ZIENT PET to label SERT in the serotonergic cell body rich brainstem, and forebrain projection fields. Quantitative PET emission data from 21 adults (10 healthy controls and 11 drug-free patients with major depression) was used for group comparison. SERT binding potential (BPND ) in eight MRI-based brain regions of interest (ROI) were compared in high-resolution PET images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SERT binding potential was significantly decreased in the midbrain/pons (P = .029) and putamen (P = .04) of depressed patients with a past suicide attempt relative to comparison subjects. Forebrain SERT binding was also reduced in the patient sample, though these region effects did not survive a multiple comparison correction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that decreased availability of the brainstem and basal ganglia SERT represents a biomarker of depression and thus confirm and extend the role of dysregulation of brain serotonergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of depression and suicide.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Jonathon A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nye
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Purselle
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plisson
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Voll
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Votaw
authors.forename: Clinton D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kilts
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009662:Nortropanes; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011699:Putamen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C472792:2-carbomethoxy-3-(4'-(2-iodoethenyl)phenyl)nortropane; D015415:Biomarkers; D009662:Nortropanes; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: biological markers; brain imaging/neuroimaging; depression; measurement/psychometrics; suicide/self-harm