Decreased 5-HT1A receptor binding in amygdala of schizophrenia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

On the basis of postmortem data and the pharmacological action of atypical antipsychotics, serotonin-1A receptors are of interest in the study of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. To investigate serotonin-1A receptors in schizophrenia and their relation to symptoms, we measured the availability of serotonin-1A receptors in patients with schizophrenia using positron emission tomography with [carbonyl-(11)C]WAY-100635.

METHODS:

Serotonin-1A receptor binding of 11 patients with schizophrenia (8 drug-naive and 3 drug-free) was compared with that of 22 age-matched and gender-matched healthy control subjects. Symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Serotonin-1A receptor binding in selected regions of interest was quantified by binding potential obtained by the reference tissue method.

RESULTS:

The regional binding potential value was lower in the amygdala by about 19% in patients with schizophrenia than in normal controls. A significant negative correlation was observed between binding potential in the amygdala and the negative and depression/anxiety symptom scores on the five-symptom subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.

CONCLUSIONS:

Decreased serotonin-1A receptor binding in the amygdala may underlie the affective components included in the symptoms of negative and depression/anxiety in schizophrenia.

• Authors: Fumihiko Yasuno, Tetsuya Suhara, Tetsuya Ichimiya, Akihiro Takano, Tomomichi Ando, Yoshiro Okubo
• Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry) Vol. 55 Issue 5 Pg. 439-44 (Mar 01 2004) ISSN: 0006-3223 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15023569 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Carbon Radioisotopes
• Piperazines
• Pyridines
• Serotonin Antagonists
• Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A
• N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide

Topics

• Adult
• Affective Symptoms (etiology, metabolism)
• Amygdala (diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Analysis of Variance
• Anxiety (complications, metabolism)
• Brain Mapping
• Carbon Radioisotopes
• Depression (complications, metabolism)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Matched-Pair Analysis
• Neuropsychological Tests
• Piperazines
• Pyridines
• Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A (metabolism)
• Schizophrenia (complications, diagnostic imaging, metabolism)
• Serotonin Antagonists
• Tomography, Emission-Computed