Optimising PET approaches to measuring 5-HT release in human brain

A major goal in neuroscience is the measurement of neurotransmitters in living human brain. To date this has only been done reliably with dopamine using certain PET and SPECT radiotracers. The use of this technique has greatly advanced our understanding of dopamine and the dopaminergic system in normal and abnormal brain function. Transferring this technology to other neurotransmitter systems has proved less fruitful. The serotonergic system (5-HT) is one such system. 5-HT has been implicated in a wide range of brain functions and their disorders. The ability to measure 5-HT using this technique would be invaluable. In this article, we explore the key pharmacological features of current radiotracers for 5-HT receptors that might be sensitive to endogenous 5-HT. We also estimate the likely brain concentrations of the current available tranche of agents that might be used to enhance synaptic 5-HT concentration, so taking into account the potential for these to interact with the receptors directly and produce a spurious displacement signal.