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[N-methyl-11C]Mirtazapine for positron emission tomography neuroimaging of antidepressant actions in humans

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Abstract

Rationale

Many actions of antidepressant drugs cannot yet be studied using positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging due to lack of suitable radioligands. We believe that mirtazapine, radiolabeled with C-11, might be suitable for PET neuroimaging of α2-adrenoceptors in selected regions of the living human brain.

Objective

To determine the regional central biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine in humans.

Methods

Five healthy volunteers received an intravenous injection of [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine for evaluating its metabolism, biodistribution and pharmacokinetics.

Results

[N-methyl-11C]Mirtazapine entered the brain readily, with initial clearance from blood to tissue (K1) ranging from 0.31 ml/ml/min in amygdala to 0.54 ml/ml/min in thalamus. The rate of metabolism of [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine in the bloodstream was relatively slow, with 20–40% of [11C]-derived radioactivity still present as parent compound at 60 min post-injection. The clearance of [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine from the tissue compartment (k2’) ranged from a low of 0.03 min−1 in amygdala to a high of 0.06–0.07 min−1 in thalamus and cerebellum. The volume of distribution (Ve’) of [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine was markedly greater in hippocampus and amygdala (11.3–12.0) than in cerebellum (6.7), with intermediate levels in the thalamus (9.4).

Conclusions

[N-methyl-11C]Mirtazapine has suitable properties for PET neuroimaging. We envision [N-methyl-11C]mirtazapine as a molecular probe for PET imaging of antidepressant actions at sites such as α2-adrenoceptors in the living human brain.

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Acknowledgements

We thank N.V. Organon for kindly supplying samples of mirtazapine and N-desmethyl mirtazapine, the bioanalysts and technicians at the PET Center of Aarhus University Hospital for skilful assistance, Y. Stork for secretarial help, Paul and Luciano for autoradiographic findings, and Anders, Ole, Yoshitaka and Pedro for computer support. No commercial interests are associated with this project. The following organizations provided financial support: Fonden af 17–12–1981, Wørzner’s Mindelegat, Fonden til Psykiatriens Fremme, Pulje til Styrkelse af Psykiatrisk Forskning, Fonden til Laegevidenskabens Fremme, and the Danish Medical Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PET Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000 , Aarhus C, Denmark

    Katalin Marthi, Steen Jakobsen, Dirk Bender, Søren B. Hansen & Flemming Hermansen

  2. Institute for Basic Research in Psychiatry, Department of Biological Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, 8240 , Risskov, Denmark

    Stefan Bo Smith, Raben Rosenberg & Donald F. Smith

  3. Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Research Group of Technical Analytical Chemistry, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Szt. Gellért tér 4, 1111 , Budapest, Hungary

    Katalin Marthi

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  1. Katalin Marthi
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Correspondence to Donald F. Smith.

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Marthi, K., Jakobsen, S., Bender, D. et al. [N-methyl-11C]Mirtazapine for positron emission tomography neuroimaging of antidepressant actions in humans. Psychopharmacology 174, 260–265 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1754-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1754-x

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