ELEVATED STRIATAL DOPAMINE TRANSPORTERS DURING ACUTE COCAINE ABSTINENCE AS MEASURED BY [I-123] BETA-CIT SPECT

Objective: The authors examined whether striatal dopamine transporters tc,ere altered in acutely (96 hours or less) abstinent cocaine-abusin g subjects, as suggested by postmortem studies. Method: [I-123]beta-CI T and single photon emission computed tomography were used to assess s triatal dopamine transporter levels in 28 cocaine-abusing subjects and 24 comparison subjects matched as a group for age and gender. Results : Results showed a significant (approximately 20%) elevation in striat al V-3 '' values in acutely abstinent cocaine-abusing subjects relativ e to comparison subjects. An inverse correlation between dopamine tran sporter level and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score was also obse rved. Conclusions: These findings indicate more modest elevations in s triatal dopamine transporters in cocaine-abusing subjects than noted i n previous postmortem reports and suggest a possible relationship betw een cocaine-related depression and dopamine transporter binding.