Regional serotonin transporter availability and depression are correlated in Wilson's disease

In patients with Wilson's disease (WD), depression is a frequent psychiatric symptom. In vivo neuroimaging studies suggest that depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders are associated with central serotonergic deficits. However, in vivo measurements of serotonergic neurotransmission have not until now been performed in patients with this copper deposition disorder. The present prospective study revealed that depressive symptomatology is related to an alteration of presynaptic serotonin transporters (SERT) availability as measured by [I-123]-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(iodophenyl)tropane ([I-123]beta-CIT) and high-resolution single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). SERT imaging with [I-123]beta-CIT-SPECT could therefore become a useful tool for diagnosis and therapy monitoring in depressed WD patients.