The association between in vivo central noradrenaline transporter availability and trait impulsivity. (30th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hesse, Swen; Müller, Ulrich; Rullmann, Michael; Luthardt, Julia; Bresch, Anke; Becker, Georg-Alexander; Zientek, Franziska; Patt, Marianne; Meyer, Philipp M.; Blüher, Matthias; Strauß, Maria; Fenske, Wiebke; Hankir, Mohammed; Ding, Yu-Shin; Hilbert, Anja; Sabri, Osama
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 267(2017)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 14
• Publication Date: 2017-09-30
• Subjects: Noradrenaline -- Noradrenaline transporter -- PET -- PET imaging -- Impulsivity; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.06.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Abstract: The brain noradrenaline (NA) system, particularly NA transporters (NAT), are thought to play an important role in modulating impulsive behavior. Impaired impulsivity is implicated in a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions; however, an in vivo link between central NAT availability and human impulsivity has not been shown. Using positron emission tomography (PET) and S, S-[ 11 C]O-methylreboxetine (MRB), we tested whether NAT availability is associated with this basic behavioral trait based on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) in twenty healthy individuals (12 females, 33.8±9.3, 21–52 years of age) with a body mass index (BMI) ranging from 21.7 kg/m 2 to 47.8 kg/m 2 . Applying both voxel-wise and volume-of-interest (VOI) based analyses, we found that distribution volume ratios (DVR) used as PET outcome measures negatively correlated with BIS-11 total scores in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and in the hippocampus as well as in parts of the cerebellar cortex. These associations however did not remain after correction for multiple testing. Thus, although it appears that low NAT availability is associated with greater scores of impaired behavioral control, this needs to be confirmed in a larger series of individuals with highly impulsive behavior. Highlights: In vivo support for an inverse association between brain noradrenaline transporter availability and trait impulsivity in humans. Noradrenaline transporter availability in the orbitofrontal cortex and the hippocampus are most strongly associated with impulsivity. Low brain noradrenaline transporter availability appears to be a predisposing factor for high impulsivity scores.