Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009;26(5):411-8.
doi: 10.1002/da.20543.

Dopamine transporters, D2 receptors, and dopamine release in generalized social anxiety disorder

Franklin R Schneier  1 , Anissa Abi-Dargham, Diana Martinez, Mark Slifstein, Dah-Ren Hwang, Michael R Liebowitz, Marc Laruelle
Affiliations

Dopamine transporters, D2 receptors, and dopamine release in generalized social anxiety disorder

Franklin R Schneier et al. Depress Anxiety. 2009.

Abstract

Background: Dopamine D2 receptor and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability in the striatum (STR) have each been reported abnormal in generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD) in studies using single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). D2 receptors and DAT have not previously been studied within the same GSAD subjects, however, and prior GSAD studies have not assessed dopamine release or subdivided the STR into functional subregions.

Methods: Unmedicated adults with GSAD (N=17) and matched healthy comparison (HC) subjects (N=13) participated in this study. Of these, 15 GSAD and 13 HC subjects completed baseline assessment of D2 receptor availability using positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracer [11C]raclopride. Twelve GSAD and 13 HC subjects completed a repeat scan after intravenous administration of d-amphetamine to study dopamine release. Twelve of the GSAD subjects and 10 of the HC subjects also completed SPECT with the radiotracer [123I] methyl 3beta-(4-iodophenyl) tropane-2beta-carboxylate ([123I]beta-CIT) to assess DAT availability.

Results: GSAD and HC groups did not differ significantly in striatal DAT availability, the overall striatal or striatal subregion D2 receptor availability at baseline, or change in D(2) receptor availability after d-amphetamine. Receptor availability and change after d-amphetamine were not significantly associated with severity of social anxiety or trait detachment.

Conclusions: These findings do not replicate previous findings of altered striatal DAT and D2 receptor availability in GSAD subjects assessed with SPECT. The differences from results of prior studies may be due to differences in imaging methods or characteristics of samples.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Tiihonen J, Kuikka J, Bergstrom K, et al. Dopamine reuptake site densities in patients with social phobia. Am J Psychiatry. 1997;154:239–242. - PubMed
    1. van der Wee NJ, van Veen JF, Stevens H, et al. Increased serotonin and dopamamine transporter binding in psychotropic medication-naïve patients with generalized social anxiety disorder shown by 123I-β-(4-iodophenyl)-tropane SPECT. J Nucl Med. 2008;49:757–763. - PubMed
    1. Schneier FR, Liebowitz MR, Abi-Dargham A, et al. M Low dopamine D2 receptor binding potential in social phobia. Am J Psychiatry. 2000;157:457–459. - PubMed
    1. Schneier FR, Martinez D, Abi-Dargham A, et al. Striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability in OCD with and without comorbid social anxiety disorder: Preliminary findings. Depression and Anxiety. 2008;25:1–7. - PubMed
    1. Sareen J, Campbell DW, Leslie WD, et al. Striatal function in generalized social phobia: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61:396–404. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms