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5‐ HT 1B receptor imaging and cognition: A positron emission tomography study in control subjects and parkinson's disease patients
Author(s) -
Varrone Andrea,
Svenningsson per,
Marklund Petter,
FatourosBergman Helena,
Forsberg Anton,
Halldin Christer,
Nilsson LarsGöran,
Farde Lars
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
synapse
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.809
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1098-2396
pISSN - 0887-4476
DOI - 10.1002/syn.21823
Subject(s) - psychology , cognition , verbal fluency test , radioligand , 5 ht receptor , serotonin , neuroscience , audiology , medicine , clinical psychology , neuropsychology , receptor
The serotonin 5‐HT 1B receptor subtype is involved in the modulation of serotonin release and is a target of interest for neuroreceptor imaging. Previous studies have shown that the serotonin system is affected in Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognitive function, frequently impaired in PD, has been linked to the serotonin system. The aim of this study was to examine whether 5‐HT 1B receptor availability in the brain of healthy subjects and PD patients is associated with measures of cognitive function. Methods Twelve control subjects and ten PD patients with normal mini‐mental state examination scores were included in this study. Cognitive function was evaluated by assessment of semantic, episodic, and working memory, as well as fluency and visual attention. Creative ability, a measure of divergent thinking, was examined with the alternative uses of objects task. PET measurements were performed with the 5‐HT 1B receptor‐radioligand [ 11 C]AZ10419369 using the HRRT system. Results PD patients showed statistically significant lower measures of semantic and episodic memory, as well as creative ability, compared with control subjects. Statistically significant positive correlations were found in control subjects between creative ability and average 5‐HT 1B receptor availability in grey matter, and in PD patients between scores of Beck Depression Inventory‐II and creative ability. Conclusion Though creativity has been conventionally linked to dopamine function, our findings in control subjects suggest a link between 5‐HT 1B receptor availability and creative ability. In PD patients, creative ability was significantly associated with depressive symptoms but not with 5‐HT 1B receptor availability. This finding deserves further investigation in future studies. Synapse 69:365–374, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.