title: Dopamine transporter availability in heroin-dependent subjects and controls: longitudinal changes during abstinence and the effects of Jitai tablets treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous imaging studies have indicated that the levels of the dopamine transporter (DAT) are reduced in the brains of heroin users. However, whether these changes can be reversed by abstinence and/or treatment remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate DAT availability in heroin users and changes in DAT availability after abstinence and treatment with the Jitai tablets, a traditional Chinese medicinal product that is approved for the treatment of opioid addiction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [(99m)Tc] TRODAT-1 was performed on heroin-dependent patients (n = 64) and healthy controls (n = 15). The patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either placebo or the Jitai. All patients underwent SPECT imaging both at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. DAT availability was assessed in the caudate and putamen. Depression and anxiety were evaluated at baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DAT availability remained at low levels during a 6-month period in the placebo-treated group but was increased (14-17 %) in the Jitai-treated group. The ratio of DAT availability at month 6 to that at baseline in the Jitai-treated group was significantly higher than that in the placebo-treated group in both the bilateral caudate and putamen. DAT uptake in the striatum was significantly correlated with daily heroin dose, years of heroin use, and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that chronic heroin use induces long-lasting striatal DAT reductions. DAT availability remained unchanged during a 6-month period of abstinence. Treatment with Jitai appears to be effective at increasing striatal DAT availability.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Haidian district, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xingdang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Rongbin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Yuankai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011699:Putamen / Q000378:metabolism; D013607:Tablets; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D013607:Tablets