In vivo visualization of serotonin transporters in the human brain during fluoxetine treatment

beta-CIT can be used as a tracer for SPECT to visualize serotonin transport ers in the human brain. We present a case of bulimia nervosa and major depr essive disorder, who had been treated with up to 60 mg/d fluoxetine for sev eral weeks. Four hours after injection of the tracer more than 40% of serot onin transporters were blocked. To our knowledge, this is the first direct documentation of the pharmacodynamic action of fluoxetine in the human brai n in vivo. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V./ECNP. All rights reserved.