Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode
Abstract Molecular imaging studies have shown low cerebral concentration of serotonin transporter in patients suffering from depression, compared to healthy control subjects. Whether or not this difference also is present before disease onset and after remission (i.e. a trait), or only at the time o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Translational Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01376-w |
| _version_ | 1818733388176031744 |
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| author | Jonas E. Svensson Cecilia Svanborg Pontus Plavén-Sigray Viktor Kaldo Christer Halldin Martin Schain Johan Lundberg |
| author_facet | Jonas E. Svensson Cecilia Svanborg Pontus Plavén-Sigray Viktor Kaldo Christer Halldin Martin Schain Johan Lundberg |
| author_sort | Jonas E. Svensson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Molecular imaging studies have shown low cerebral concentration of serotonin transporter in patients suffering from depression, compared to healthy control subjects. Whether or not this difference also is present before disease onset and after remission (i.e. a trait), or only at the time of the depressive episode (i.e. a state) remains to be explored. We examined 17 patients with major depressive disorder with positron emission tomography using [11C]MADAM, a radioligand that binds to the serotonin transporter, before and after treatment with internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy. In all, 17 matched healthy control subjects were examined once. Cerebellum was used as reference to calculate the binding potential. Differences before and after treatment, as well as between patients and controls, were assessed in a composite cerebral region and in the median raphe nuclei. All image analyses and confirmatory statistical tests were preregistered. Depression severity decreased following treatment (p < 0.001). [11C]MADAM binding in patients increased in the composite region after treatment (p = 0.01), while no change was observed in the median raphe (p = 0.51). No significant difference between patients at baseline and healthy controls were observed in the composite region (p = 0.97) or the median raphe (p = 0.95). Our main finding was that patients suffering from a depressive episode show an overall increase in cerebral serotonin transporter availability as symptoms are alleviated. Our results suggest that previously reported cross-sectional molecular imaging findings of the serotonin transporter in depression most likely reflect the depressive state, rather than a permanent trait. The finding adds new information on the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:48:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2075c25720d34d31bcf236aafe21fcfd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2158-3188 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:48:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Translational Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2075c25720d34d31bcf236aafe21fcfd2022-12-21T21:28:14ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882021-05-0111111010.1038/s41398-021-01376-wSerotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episodeJonas E. Svensson0Cecilia Svanborg1Pontus Plavén-Sigray2Viktor Kaldo3Christer Halldin4Martin Schain5Johan Lundberg6Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalNeurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University HospitalCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Karolinska University HospitalAbstract Molecular imaging studies have shown low cerebral concentration of serotonin transporter in patients suffering from depression, compared to healthy control subjects. Whether or not this difference also is present before disease onset and after remission (i.e. a trait), or only at the time of the depressive episode (i.e. a state) remains to be explored. We examined 17 patients with major depressive disorder with positron emission tomography using [11C]MADAM, a radioligand that binds to the serotonin transporter, before and after treatment with internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy. In all, 17 matched healthy control subjects were examined once. Cerebellum was used as reference to calculate the binding potential. Differences before and after treatment, as well as between patients and controls, were assessed in a composite cerebral region and in the median raphe nuclei. All image analyses and confirmatory statistical tests were preregistered. Depression severity decreased following treatment (p < 0.001). [11C]MADAM binding in patients increased in the composite region after treatment (p = 0.01), while no change was observed in the median raphe (p = 0.51). No significant difference between patients at baseline and healthy controls were observed in the composite region (p = 0.97) or the median raphe (p = 0.95). Our main finding was that patients suffering from a depressive episode show an overall increase in cerebral serotonin transporter availability as symptoms are alleviated. Our results suggest that previously reported cross-sectional molecular imaging findings of the serotonin transporter in depression most likely reflect the depressive state, rather than a permanent trait. The finding adds new information on the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01376-w |
| spellingShingle | Jonas E. Svensson Cecilia Svanborg Pontus Plavén-Sigray Viktor Kaldo Christer Halldin Martin Schain Johan Lundberg Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode Translational Psychiatry |
| title | Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| title_full | Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| title_fullStr | Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| title_short | Serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| title_sort | serotonin transporter availability increases in patients recovering from a depressive episode |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01376-w |
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