Dopamine transporter dysfunction in Han Chinese people with chronic methamphetamine dependence after a short-term abstinence

• Published in: Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging Vol. 221; no. 1; pp. 92 - 96
• Main Authors: Yuan, Jie, Lv, Rongbin, Robert Brašić, James, Han, Mei, Liu, Xingdang, Wang, Yuankai, Zhang, Guangming, Liu, Congjin, Li, Yu, Deng, Yanping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 30.01.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: 99mTc-TRODAT-1; Adult; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - ethnology; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - psychology; Anxiety - diagnostic imaging; Anxiety - ethnology; Anxiety - psychology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Mapping; Case-Control Studies; Corpus Striatum - diagnostic imaging; Depression - diagnostic imaging; Depression - ethnology; Depression - psychology; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Dopamine transporter (DAT) tomography; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Emission-computed; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Methamphetamine (METH) abuse; Methamphetamine - administration & dosage; Methamphetamine - adverse effects; Neuropharmacology; Organotechnetium Compounds - metabolism; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Radiology; Single-photon; Time Factors; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon - methods; Single-photon; 99mTc-TRODAT-1; Methamphetamine (METH) abuse; Emission-computed; Dopamine transporter (DAT) tomography; Amphetamine derivatives; Short term; Human; Dopamine; Radiodiagnosis; CNS stimulant; Psychotropic; Metamfetamine; Sympathomimetic; Catecholamine; Photon; Abstinence; Tc-TRODAT-1; Chronic; Technetium 99mTc; Dependence; Neurotransmitter; Tomography; Chinese; Carrier protein; (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1
• ISSN: 0925-4927; 1872-7506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.11.005

Abstract Single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) after the administration of99m Tc-TRODAT-1 was performed on healthy subjects and subjects with methamphetamine (METH)dependence at time 1 (T1) after 24–48 h of abstinence, time 2 (T2) after 2 weeks of abstinence, and time 3 (T3) after 4 weeks of abstinence. In contrast to values in controls, the values of the striatal DAT specific uptake ratios (SURs) in subjects with METH dependence were significantly lower at T1 ( n =25), T2 ( n =9), and T3 ( n =8); a mild increase in SURs was observed at T2 and T3, but values were still significantly lower than those in controls. In subjects with METH dependence, there was a trend for a negative correlation of striatal DAT SURs and craving for METH at T1. METH craving, anxiety and depression scores significantly decreased from T1 to T2 to T3. We conclude that Han Chinese people with METH dependence experience significant striatal DAT dysfunction, and that these changes may be mildly reversible after 4 weeks of abstinence, but that DAT levels still remain significantly lower than those in healthy subjects. The mild recovery of striatal DAT may parallel improvements in craving, anxiety and depression.