Association between somatization subscale score and serotonin transporter availability in healthy volunteers—a single photon emission computed tomography study with [123I] ADAM

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 219; no. 4; pp. 1011 - 1016
• Main Authors: Chou, Ming Hui, Chen, Kao Chin, Yeh, Tzung Lieh, Lee, I Hui, Yao, Wei Jen, Chen, Po See, Chang, Kang-Wei, Liao, Mei-Hsiu, Yang, Yen Kuang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety; Bioavailability; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Check lists; Cinanserin - analogs & derivatives; Circuits; Female; Humans; Iodine Radioisotopes; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neuromodulation; Neurosciences; Original Investigation; Pain perception; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Serotonin; Serotonin - metabolism; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Serotonin transporter; Sex differences; Sex Factors; Single photon emission computed tomography; Somatoform Disorders - diagnosis; Somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tomography; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - methods; Young Adult; Somatization; Healthy volunteers; Serotonin transporter; SPECT; Availability; Human; Healthy subject; Enzyme; Metalloendopeptidases; Photon; Peptidases; Adamalysin; Somatoform disorder; Hydrolases; Computerized axial tomography; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2431-0

Rationale and objective Serotonin is one of the key neuromodulators involved in fundamental cerebral functions and behaviors. Previous study has demonstrated that somatization symptoms are probably associated with central serotonergic circuits, which are implicated in anxiety and nociception regulation. This study aims to examine the correlation between somatization subscale score and serotonin transporter (SERT) availability in healthy volunteers. Methods Sixty-four healthy participants, 26 males and 38 females, were enrolled from the community and were administered the single somatization subscale of the Chinese symptom checklist 90 revised (SCL90-R). Single photon emission computed tomography with [ 123 I] 2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine was also performed to examine SERT availability. Results The somatization scores were negatively correlated with SERT availability (Spearman’s ρ  = −0.35, p  = 0.005), particularly in males (Spearman’s ρ  = −0.54, p  = 0.004). Conclusion This result reconfirmed the correlation between central serotonergic activity and the intensity of somatization symptoms, even in healthy participants. However, a gender difference exists in this correlation.