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Dopamine transporter and D2-receptor density in late-onset alcoholism
E Repo1, J T Kuikka, K A Bergström
1Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Finland. eila.repo@niuva.fi
Rationale:
Late onset type 1 alcoholism has been suggested to be associated with an underlying dopaminergic defect. Therefore, it is relevant to study both postsynaptic D2-receptor and presynaptic dopamine transporter (DAT) densities among alcoholics.
Objective:
We investigated DAT densities, along with striatal and extrastriatal dopamine D2-receptor densities, in nine nonviolent late-onset male alcoholics, who had no major mental disorder nor antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and nine healthy controls.
Methods:
[123I]PE2I and [123I]epidepride were used in SPECT imaging.
Results:
DAT occupancy ratios (striatum/cerebellum) were significantly lower among alcoholics than in controls. Extrastriatal D2-receptor occupancy ratios (temporal pole/cerebellum) were not significantly different between the groups.
Conclusions:
Striatal presynaptic DAT densities are decreased among type 1 alcoholics, and this finding is not associated with recent alcohol abuse.