Dopamine transporter binding in females with panic disorder may vary with clinical status

To date the involvement of dopamine system in neurobiology of panic disorder (PD) has been not investigated by imaging studies in humans. In this study, we evaluated the binding potential of dopamine transporter (DAT) in striatum of patients with PD.

Subjects comprised seven female patients with current PD, seven female PD patients in remission and seven female healthy controls, matched by age. Striatal DAT binding was evaluated using single-photon emission computed tomography and [(123)I]nor-beta-CIT tracer.

Significantly higher DAT binding in striatum was detected in remitted PD females as compared with both currently ill PD and control females. The females with current PD demonstrated non-significant lowering in striatal DAT binding as compared with healthy controls. The correlation analysis in total sample of female patients showed significant and inverse relationship between striatal DAT binding characteristics and severity of panic symptoms.

This is first report showing that DAT binding in striatum may depend on the clinical status in females with PD. Our data suggest that increased level of DAT may contribute to stability of remission; however, the exact involvement of dopamine system in PD pathogenesis requires further investigations. The preliminary results of current study should be confirmed by other independent studies and should also be extended to include male patients.