Fujimura Y, Yasuno F, Farris A, Liow JS, Geraci M, Drevets W, Pine DS, Ghose S, Lerner A, Hargreaves R, Burns HD, Morse C, Pike VW, Innis RB
Decreased Neurokinin-1 (Substance P) Receptor Binding in Patients with Panic Disorder: Positron Emission Tomographic Study with [(18)F]SPA-RQ. [JOURNAL ARTICLE]
Biol Psychiatry 2009 Feb 7.
BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) can localize and quantify neurokinin-1 (NK(1)) receptors in brain using the nonpeptide antagonist radioligand, [(18)F]SPA-RQ. We sought to determine if patients with panic disorder have altered density of NK(1) receptors in brain because of their history of recurrent panic attacks. We also sought to determine if a drug-induced panic attack releases substance P in brain, as measured by decreased binding of [(18)F]SPA-RQ.
METHODS: Positron emission tomography scans with [(18)F]SPA-RQ were performed in 14 patients with panic disorder and 14 healthy subjects. Of these two groups, 7 patients and 10 healthy subjects were scanned twice, once at baseline and once after injection of doxapram, a drug that induces panic attacks.
RESULTS: NK(1) receptor binding in patients (n = 14) compared with that in healthy subjects (n = 14) was significantly decreased by 12% to 21% in all brain regions. Doxapram effectively produced panic attacks in 6 of 7 patients with panic disorder but only 2 of 10 healthy subjects. Doxapram caused no significant change of [(18)F]SPA-RQ binding in either patients or healthy subjects.
CONCLUSIONS: Although induction of a panic attack has no significant effect on [(18)F]SPA-RQ binding to NK(1) receptors, patients with panic disorder have widespread reduction of NK(1) receptor binding in brain.
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