title: Serotonin transporter availability in the midbrain and perceived social support in healthy volunteers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serotonin modulates human behavior and emotion. Recent evidence implies that a higher level of serotonergic activity could be associated with a higher level of perceived social support. This study aimed to examine the correlation between serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and perceived social support scores in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  111 healthy participants, 50 males and 61 females, were enrolled from the community and completed the Measurement of Support Function questionnaire. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [(123)I] ADAM was performed to examine SERT availability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceived social support was positively correlated with SERT availability (Spearman's ρ=0.29, p<0.01; χ(2)=7.57, p<0.01), particularly in males (Spearman's ρ=0.37, p<0 .01; χ(2)=11.77, p<0.01). Censored regressions indicated that these associations are not influenced by a ceiling effect and remained significant after controlling the effect of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result confirmed the correlation between perceived social support and central serotonergic activity. However, this correlation was present only in males.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiang Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: I Hui
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kao Chin
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shih-Hsien
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tzung Lieh
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Po See
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nan-Tsing
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: We Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Chia-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
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; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C413491:2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D002928:Cinanserin
keywords: Gender difference; MSF; SERT availability; SPECT; Serotonin system; Social support