Recent Advances in Imaging of Dopaminergic Neurons for Evaluation of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

• Published in: BioMed research international 2012-01, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-14
• Main Authors: Shen, Lie-Hang, Tseng, Yu-Chin, Liao, Mei-Hsiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnostic imaging; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - pathology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Biomedical research; Brain; Dopaminergic Neurons - diagnostic imaging; Dopaminergic Neurons - pathology; Humans; Medical imaging; Mental Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Mental Disorders - pathology; Molecular Imaging - methods; Neurotransmitters; Parkinson Disease - diagnostic imaging; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Parkinson's disease; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radioactive Tracers; Review; Schizophrenia - diagnostic imaging; Schizophrenia - pathology; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Substance-Related Disorders - pathology; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
• ISSN: 1110-7243; 2314-6133; 1110-7251; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/259349

Dopamine is the most intensely studied monoaminergic neurotransmitter. Dopaminergic neurotransmission plays an important role in regulating several aspects of basic brain function, including motor, behavior, motivation, and working memory. To date, there are numerous positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radiotracers available for targeting different steps in the process of dopaminergic neurotransmission, which permits us to quantify dopaminergic activity in the living human brain. Degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system causes Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related Parkinsonism. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that has been classically associated with the reinforcing effects of drug abuse. Abnormalities within the dopamine system in the brain are involved in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dopamine receptors play an important role in schizophrenia and the effect of neuroleptics is through blockage of dopamine D2 receptors. This review will concentrate on the radiotracers that have been developed for imaging dopaminergic neurons, describe the clinical aspects in the assessment of neuropsychiatric disorders, and suggest future directions in the diagnosis and management of such disorders.