Serotonin-1A receptor alterations in depression: a meta-analysis of molecular imaging studies.
BACKGROUND
Postmortem studies of people who have successfully committed suicide and people with depression have implicated the serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) receptor system in the pathophysiology of depression. Several molecular imaging studies have investigated alterations in 5-HT1A receptors in patients with depression using positron emission tomography and have reported conflicting results.


METHODS
We performed a meta-analysis of studies investigating the relationship between depression and 5-HT1A binding. We conducted a comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Springer databases for relevant studies published between January 1999 and October 2015. The meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.


RESULTS
Ten studies were included, comprising 218 patients with depression and 261 healthy controls. The results of these studies indicated a reduction in 5-HT1A receptors in mesiotemporal cortex, yielding a summary effect estimate of -0.8 (95 % CI -1.36, -0.24). Smaller reductions were reported in 5-HT1A receptor binding in the hippocampus, raphe nuclei, insular, anterior cingulate cortex and occipital cortex of people with depression. No clear effect of depression on 5-HT1A receptors was detected in the amygdala.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced 5-HT1A receptor binding was associated with the pathology of depression and predicted altered serotonergic neurotransmission in various brain regions. These findings increase our understanding of the neurophysiological processes underlying depression.
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Ling
L
Wang
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Chanjuan
C
Zhou
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Dan
D
Zhu
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Department of Neurology, The Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Xuanhua Road, Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China.
Xinfa
X
Wang
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Department of Neurology, The Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Xuanhua Road, Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China.
Liang
L
Fang
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Department of Neurology, The Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Xuanhua Road, Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China.
Jiaju
J
Zhong
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Qiang
Q
Mao
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Lu
L
Sun
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Xue
X
Gong
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Jinjun
J
Xia
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
Bing
B
Lian
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China. xiepeng@cqmu.edu.cn.|Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China. xiepeng@cqmu.edu.cn.|Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China. xiepeng@cqmu.edu.cn.|Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China. xiepeng@cqmu.edu.cn.|Department of Neurology, The Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Xuanhua Road, Yongchuan District, Chongqing, China. xiepeng@cqmu.edu.cn.
Peng
P
Xie
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D010879:Piperazines / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011725:Pyridines / Q000378:metabolism; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D010879:Piperazines; D011725:Pyridines; D012701:Serotonin
5-HT1A; Depression; Meta-analysis; Molecular imaging