Serotonin type-1A receptor imaging in depression

Regional 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT1A) receptor binding potential (BP) of depressed subjects with primary, recurrent, familial mood disorders was compared to that of healthy controls by using positron emission tomography and [carbonyl-C-11]WAY-100635 {[C-11]N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazin-1-yl)ethyl)-N-(2-pyridyl)cyclohexane The mean 5-HT1A receptor BP was reduced 42% in the midbrain raphe and 25-33% in limbic and neocortical areas in the mesiotemporal, occipital, and parietal cortex. The magnitude of these abnormalities was most prominent in bipolar depressives and unipolar depressives who had bipolar relatives. These abnormal reductions in 5-HT1A receptor BP are consistent with in vivo evidence that 5-HT1A receptor sensitivity is reduced in major depressive disorder and postmortem data showing a widespread deficit of 5-HT1A receptor expression in primary mood disorders. NUCL MED BIOL 27;5: 499-507, 2000. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.