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Reduced availability of serotonin transporters in obsessive-compulsive disorder correlates with symptom severity – a [11C]DASB PET study

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Summary

Reduced availability of brainstem serotonin transporters (5-HTT) has been observed in vivo in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, results vary and may be influenced by competition with endogenous serotonin. Using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]DASB, a specific 5-HTT ligand that showed no competition with serotonin for 5-HTT binding in vitro, we tested the hypothesis that 5-HTT availability is reduced in OCD patients and correlated with OCD severity.

Methods. 5-HTT availability in the thalamus and the midbrain was measured in nine drug-free OCD patients and compared with 19 healthy controls, matched for the individual combination of 5-HTT genotype, gender and smoking status. OCD severity was assessed with the Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale (Y-BOCS).

Results. 5-HTT availability was significantly reduced in the thalamus and midbrain of OCD patients. Age and 5-HTT in the thalamus explained 83% of OCD severity in patients that were drug-free for at least 1 year.

Conclusion. This PET study confirms a central role of the serotonergic system, particularly the thalamus in the pathogenesis of obsessive compulsive disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    M. Reimold & R. Bares

  2. Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Research, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

    M. N. Smolka, A. Zimmer, K. Mann & A. Heinz

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    A. Batra & H. U. Smoltczyk

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – University Medical Center, CCM, Berlin, Germany

    A. Knobel, A. Mundt & A. Heinz

  5. Department of Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    C. Solbach, G. Reischl & H.-J. Machulla

  6. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A.

    D. Goldman

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  1. M. Reimold
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  2. M. N. Smolka
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  3. A. Zimmer
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  9. D. Goldman
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  10. K. Mann
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  11. G. Reischl
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  12. H.-J. Machulla
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  14. A. Heinz
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The first two authors contributed equally

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Reimold, M., Smolka, M., Zimmer, A. et al. Reduced availability of serotonin transporters in obsessive-compulsive disorder correlates with symptom severity – a [11C]DASB PET study. J Neural Transm 114, 1603–1609 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-007-0785-6

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