title: Unaltered Dopamine Transporter Availability in Drug-Naive Patients With Schizophrenia After 6 Months of Antipsychotics Treatment: A Naturalistic Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dopaminergic dysfunction, namely, dopamine transporter (DAT) availability variations in patients with drug-naive schizophrenia after long-term treatment, is still not well understood. The aims of the study were to explore (i) whether the DAT availability in patients with drug-naive schizophrenia differed after antipsychotic treatment and (ii) whether treatment with different generations of antipsychotics influenced the DAT availability after follow-up for 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four first-episode, drug-naive patients with schizophrenia were divided into first- and second-generation antipsychotic groups naturalistically. After 6 months of follow-up, 7 patients who received first-generation antipsychotic treatment and 17 patients who received second-generation antipsychotic treatment completed the study. The patients underwent premedication and 6-month follow-up measurements using single-photon emission computed tomography with technetium Tc 99m (Tc) TRODAT-1. Psychopathological evaluations and adverse effects were recorded using appropriate scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both of the treatment groups significantly improved according to Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale evaluation. However, no significant difference was noticed between the premedication and 6-month follow-up DAT scans. Nonsignificant differences existed even in the groups of different generations of antipsychotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvements in psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia may not be influenced by DAT availability, even under treatment with different antipsychotics for a sufficient treatment period.
authors.affiliation: From the *Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan; †Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin; and ‡Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, §Addiction Research Center, ∥Department of Nuclear Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, and ¶Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei Hung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kao Chin
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: I Hui
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mei Hung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Po See
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Nan Tsing
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Yen Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014326:Tropanes; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014326:Tropanes; C104196:technetium Tc 99m TRODAT-1