title: Cigarette Use and Striatal Dopamine D2/3 Receptors: Possible Role in the Link between Smoking and Nicotine Dependence.
abstract: Cigarette smoking induces dopamine release in the striatum, and smoking- or nicotine-induced ventral striatal dopamine release is correlated with nicotine dependence. Smokers also exhibit lower dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the dorsal striatum than nonsmokers. Negative correlations of striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability with smoking exposure and nicotine dependence, therefore, might be expected but have not been tested.
  
  
  
  Twenty smokers had positron emission tomography scans with [18F]fallypride to measure dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in ventral and dorsal regions of the striatum and provided self-report measures of recent and lifetime smoking and of nicotine dependence.
  
  
  
  As reported before, lifetime smoking was correlated with nicotine dependence. New findings were that ventral striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability was negatively correlated with recent and lifetime smoking and also with nicotine dependence.
  
  
  
  The results suggest an effect of smoking on ventral striatal D2/3 dopamine receptors that may contribute to nicotine dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (Drs Okita and London), Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (Dr London), and Brain Research Institute (Dr London), University of California, Los Angeles, CA.|Department of Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Okita, Mandelkern, and London); and.|Department of Physics, University of California, Irvine, CA (Dr Mandelkern).
authors.forename: Kyoji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okita
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (Drs Okita and London), Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (Dr London), and Brain Research Institute (Dr London), University of California, Los Angeles, CA.|Department of Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Okita, Mandelkern, and London); and.|Department of Physics, University of California, Irvine, CA (Dr Mandelkern).
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mandelkern
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (Drs Okita and London), Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology (Dr London), and Brain Research Institute (Dr London), University of California, Los Angeles, CA; elondon@mednet.ucla.edu.|Department of Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Okita, Mandelkern, and London); and elondon@mednet.ucla.edu.|Department of Physics, University of California, Irvine, CA (Dr Mandelkern). elondon@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Edythe D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: London
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001549:Benzamides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000073865:Cigarette Smoking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000032:analysis*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3 / Q000032:analysis*; D000074285:Smokers / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D003287:Contrast Media; C581293:DRD2 protein, human; C493593:DRD3 protein, human; C094948:N-((1-allyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl)-5-(3-fluoropropyl)-2,3-dimethoxybenzamide; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3
keywords: D2 receptors; dopamine; nicotine dependence; positron emission tomography