OBJECTIVE: We tried to find any significant correlation between serotonin transporter (5-HTT) availability and depressive symptoms in healthy elderly subjects. MATERIALS: 16 healthy elderly subjects (≥ 65 years) who were functioning independently in a community were randomly selected. An iodine-123-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4- iodophenyltropane) [123I]-b-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was administered and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS). RESULTS: Total GDS scores were associated with the V3″ values in dorsal raphe (b = 0.60, t = 2.84, p = 0.01) but not in pons (b = 0.05, t = 0.19, p = 0.85) and medulla (b = 0.06, t = 0.20, p = 0.84). Among five subscale scores of K-GDS, only positive mood scores were significantly associated with the V3″ values in dorsal raphe, while not in pons and medulla. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that 5-HTT availability should be involved in dimensional depressive symptoms in a specific brain region in healthy elderly subjects and should be replicated in subsequent adequately-powered and more well-designed studies.
OBJECTIVE: We tried to find any significant correlation between serotonin transporter (5-HTT) availability and depressive symptoms in healthy elderly subjects. MATERIALS: 16 healthy elderly subjects (≥ 65 years) who were functioning independently in a community were randomly selected. An iodine-123-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4- iodophenyltropane) [123I]-b-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was administered and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS). RESULTS: Total GDS scores were associated with the V3″ values in dorsal raphe (b = 0.60, t = 2.84, p = 0.01) but not in pons (b = 0.05, t = 0.19, p = 0.85) and medulla (b = 0.06, t = 0.20, p = 0.84). Among five subscale scores of K-GDS, only positive mood scores were significantly associated with the V3″ values in dorsal raphe, while not in pons and medulla. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that 5-HTT availability should be involved in dimensional depressive symptoms in a specific brain region in healthy elderly subjects and should be replicated in subsequent adequately-powered and more well-designed studies.