OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether brain dopamine D2 receptor levels, which show significant intersubject variability, predict reinforcing responses to psychostimulants in humans. METHOD: [11C]Raclopride and positron emission tomography were used to measure D2 receptor levels in 23 healthy men (mean age = 34 years, SD = 7) who had no drug abuse histories in order to assess if there were differences between the subjects who liked and those who disliked the effects of intravenous methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg). RESULTS: Subjects who liked the effects of methylphenidate had significantly lower D2 receptor levels (mean = 2.72 Bmax/Kd, SD = 0.3) than subjects who disliked its effects (mean = 3.16, SD = 0.3). Moreover, the higher the D2 levels found, the more intense were methylphenidate's unpleasant effects. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence that D2 receptor levels predict response to psychostimulants in humans and that low D2 receptors may contribute to psychostimulant abuse by favoring pleasant response.
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether brain dopamine D2 receptor levels, which show significant intersubject variability, predict reinforcing responses to psychostimulants in humans. METHOD: [11C]Raclopride and positron emission tomography were used to measure D2 receptor levels in 23 healthy men (mean age = 34 years, SD = 7) who had no drug abuse histories in order to assess if there were differences between the subjects who liked and those who disliked the effects of intravenous methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg). RESULTS: Subjects who liked the effects of methylphenidate had significantly lower D2 receptor levels (mean = 2.72 Bmax/Kd, SD = 0.3) than subjects who disliked its effects (mean = 3.16, SD = 0.3). Moreover, the higher the D2 levels found, the more intense were methylphenidate's unpleasant effects. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence that D2 receptor levels predict response to psychostimulants in humans and that low D2 receptors may contribute to psychostimulant abuse by favoring pleasant response.
Authors: Anouk Schrantee; Lena Václavů; Dennis F R Heijtel; Matthan W A Caan; Willy Gsell; Paul J Lucassen; Aart J Nederveen; Jan Booij; Liesbeth Reneman Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2015-03-13 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Isabelle Boileau; Doris Payer; Sylvain Houle; Arian Behzadi; Pablo M Rusjan; Junchao Tong; Diana Wilkins; Peter Selby; Tony P George; Martin Zack; Yoshiaki Furukawa; Tina McCluskey; Alan A Wilson; Stephen J Kish Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2012-01-25 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: C J Spellicy; M J Harding; S C Hamon; J J Mahoney; J A Reyes; T R Kosten; T F Newton; R De La Garza; D A Nielsen Journal: Genes Brain Behav Date: 2014-03-17 Impact factor: 3.449