title: Molecular imaging of striatal dopamine transporters in major depression--a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing studies have revealed the dopamine transporter (DAT) availability altered in striatum associated with major depression. However, the results remain inconsistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the alteration of striatal DAT availability in major depression, we performed a meta-analysis based on 12 case-control molecular imaging studies, including a total of 209 depressed patients and 314 healthy controls. Hedges׳ g and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for striatal DAT availability in major depression compared with controls were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our meta-analysis revealed no evidence for the alteration of striatal DAT availability in major depression (Hedges׳ g=0.09, CI 95% from -0.43 to 0.61, P=0.73). Meta-regression analyses suggested that there were no moderating effects for age, gender, year of publication, sample size, medication exposures and severity of depression on the hedges׳g values for striatal DAT availability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results should be treated with caution because of the significant heterogeneity and the potential interference of confounding factors in this meta-analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed no altered striatal DAT availability in major depression and indicated that striatal DAT may not implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zongchang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: tangjinsonghn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Maolin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; The State Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Technology of Institute of Psychiatry, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: chenxghn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D017712:Peer Review, Research; D058028:Research Report / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: Depression; Dopamine transporter; Meta-analysis; Molecular imaging