The 5-HT(2A) receptor and serotonin transporter in Asperger's disorder: A PET study with [¹¹C]MDL 100907 and [¹¹C]DASB.

Abstract

Evidence from biochemical, imaging, and treatment studies suggest abnormalities of the serotonin system in autism spectrum disorders, in particular in frontolimbic areas of the brain. We used the radiotracers [(11)C]MDL 100907 and [(11)C]DASB to characterize the 5-HT(2A) receptor and serotonin transporter in Asperger's Disorder. Seventeen individuals with Asperger's Disorder (age=34.3 ± 11.1 years) and 17 healthy controls (age=33.0 ± 9.6 years) were scanned with [(11)C]MDL 100907. Of the 17 patients, eight (age=29.7 ± 7.0 years) were also scanned with [¹¹C]DASB, as were eight healthy controls (age=28.7 ± 7.0 years). Patients with Asperger's Disorder and healthy control subjects were matched for age, gender, and ethnicity, and all had normal intelligence. Metabolite-corrected arterial plasma inputs were collected and data analyzed by two-tissue compartment modeling. The primary outcome measure was regional binding potential BP(ND). Neither regional [¹¹C]MDL 100907 BP(ND) nor [¹¹C]DASB BP(ND) was statistically different between the Asperger's and healthy subjects. This study failed to find significant alterations in binding parameters of 5-HT(2A) receptors and serotonin transporters in adult subjects with Asperger's disorder.

• Authors: Ragy R Girgis, Mark Slifstein, Xiaoyan Xu, W Gordon Frankle, Evdokia Anagnostou, Stacey Wasserman, Lauren Pepa, Alexander Kolevzon, Anissa Abi-Dargham, Marc Laruelle, Eric Hollander
• Journal: Psychiatry research (Psychiatry Res) Vol. 194 Issue 3 Pg. 230-234 (Dec 30 2011) ISSN: 0165-1781 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 22079057 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Benzylamines
• Carbon Radioisotopes
• Fluorobenzenes
• N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio)benzylamine
• Piperidines
• Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
• Serotonin Antagonists
• Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
• volinanserin

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Asperger Syndrome (diagnostic imaging, metabolism, pathology)
• Benzylamines (pharmacokinetics)
• Brain Mapping
• Carbon Radioisotopes
• Female
• Fluorobenzenes (pharmacokinetics)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Piperidines (pharmacokinetics)
• Positron-Emission Tomography
• Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A (metabolism)
• Serotonin Antagonists
• Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins (metabolism)
• Young Adult