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Serotonin and dopamine transporters in relation to neuropsychological functioning, personality traits and mood in young adult healthy subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2010

S. M. Burke ,
E. van de Giessen ,
M. de Win ,
T. Schilt ,
M. van Herk ,
W. van den Brink  and
J. Booij
S. M. Burke
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E. van de Giessen
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
M. de Win
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
T. Schilt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
M. van Herk
Affiliation:
Department of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
W. van den Brink
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J. Booij*
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr J. Booij, Department of Nuclear Medicine F2-N, Academic Medical Center, 1105 AZAmsterdam, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitter systems are implicated in the regulation of mood, cognition and personality traits and their dysfunction is thought to be implicated in diverse psychopathologies. However, in healthy subjects the relationship between the serotonin and dopamine systems and neuropsychological functioning and personality traits is not clearly established. In the present study we investigated whether neuropsychological functioning, personality traits and mood states of a group of healthy subjects are associated with in vivo measures of serotonin transporters (SERTs) and dopamine transporters (DATs).

Method

A total of 188 young healthy subjects underwent neuropsychological and subjective measurements of memory function, depression and impulsivity. Participants' SERT and DAT availability in predefined regions of interest were assessed using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the radiotracer [123I]β-CIT. Individual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans served as anatomic reference.

Results

We did not find any significant association between SERT or DAT availability and neuropsychological test performance or self-reported impulsivity and mood. There were no significant sex differences in SERT or DAT availability, but men performed significantly better on some tests of visuospatial functioning than women.

Conclusions

Robust negative findings for striatal DAT availability seriously question earlier findings of positive associations between DAT availability and cognitive functions in healthy subjects. Our results also suggest that subcortical SERT availability is not associated with the neuropsychological functions and personality traits assessed. In summary, the present study suggests that neuropsychological and personality measurements in young healthy people are not associated with subcortical SERT or striatal DAT availabilities in the brain.

Keywords

Dopamine transporterhealthy controlsneuropsychological functioningserotonin transporterSPECT
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , February 2011 , pp. 419 - 429
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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