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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Thermostabilization, Expression, Purification, and Crystallization of the Human Serotonin Transporter Bound to S-citalopram
Published on: November 27, 2016
Serotonin transporter binding after recovery from bulimia nervosa
Rama Pichika1, Monte S Buchsbaum, Ursula Bailer
1Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.
Objective:
Physiological and pharmacological studies indicate that altered brain serotonin (5-HT) activity could contribute to a susceptibility to develop appetitive and behavioral alterations that are characteristic of bulimia nervosa (BN).
Method:
Eight individuals recovered from BN (REC BN) and eight healthy control women were scanned with [11C]DASB and positron emission tomography imaging of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT). Logan graphical analysis was applied, and parametric binding potential (BP(nondisplaceable (ND)) ) images were generated. Voxel-by-voxel t-tests and a region of interest (ROI) analysis were conducted.
Results:
REC BN had significantly lower [11C]DASB BP(ND) in midbrain, superior and inferior cingulate and significantly higher [11C]DASB BP(ND) in anterior cingulate and superior temporal gyrus in the voxel-based analysis. ROI analysis indicated lower [11C]DASB BP(ND) in midbrain (p = .07), containing the dorsal raphe, in REC BN, consistent with our earlier studies.
Discussion:
These preliminary findings of a small-scale study confirm and extend previous data suggesting that ill and recovered BN have altered 5-HTT measures, which potentially contribute to BN symptomatology and/or differential responses to medication.
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