EFFECTS OF HIGH AMPHETAMINE DOSE ON MOOD AND CEREBRAL GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN NORMAL VOLUNTEERS USING POSITRON-EMISSION-TOMOGRAPHY (PET)

The effects of high euphorigenic doses of D-amphetamine (0.9-1.0 mg/kg p.o.) on regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMRglu) and psycholog ical measures were investigated in 10 healthy human volunteers using a within-subject design and [F-18]-fluorodeoxygrucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and a variety of psychological assessments. At t he dose tested, D-amphetamine produced a mania-like syndrome concomita ntly with a widespread increase in absolute cerebral metabolism, which was significant in the anterior cingulate cortex, caudate nucleus, pu tamen, and thalamus. An exploratory analysis revealed that: (1) certai n aspects of this mania-like syndrome correlated positively with the m etabolic changes seen in the frontal cortex, caudate nucleus and putam en; and (2) some of the amphetamine-induced changes in CMRglu correlat ed with D-amphetamine plasma levels. The present findings of cortical and subcortical increases in cerebral metabolism after D-amphetamine a pplication in humans accord with previous studies in animals, demonstr ating that relatively high doses of D-amphetamine (presumably at least 1 mg/kg) are needed to increase cerebral glucose metabolism. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.