Citation

Maron E, Tõru I, Hirvonen J, Tuominen L, Lumme V, Vasar V, Shlik J, Nutt DJ, Helin S, Någren K, Tiihonen J, Hietala J. J. Psychopharmacol. 2011; 25(7): 952-959.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0269881110389207

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The role of the serotonin (5-HT) system in the neurobiology and treatment of panic disorder (PD) remains unproven. Previously we detected lower brain 5-HT transporter (SERT) availability in PD, but the findings were preliminary and mainly limited to female patients. The aim of this study was to assess non-displaceable brain SERT binding potential (BPND) in male and female patients with PD. The SERT BPND was measured in groups of patients with PD (five males and six females) and matched healthy control subjects (12 males and 12 females) using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]MADAM tracer. SERT BPND were significantly higher in 13 of 20 studied brain regions, including several cortical and raphe areas, but lower in the hippocampus in males with PD as compared with healthy males. No significant differences in SERT BPND were observed between female patients and controls. The results suggest gender-dependent regional differences in brain SERT availability and converge with previous PET findings of reduced 5-HT1A receptor binding in similar brain areas in PD. Distinctive functioning of the 5-HT system in males and females may underlie certain gender-dependent differences in expressions of PD.