Prediction of detached personality in healthy subjects by low dopamine transporter binding

Objective: Low striatal dopamine D-2 receptor binding in healthy human subj ects has been associated with detached personality in studies using positro n emission tomography (PET) and the Karolinska Scales of Personality questi onnaire. The authors investigated whether a similar correlation exists betw een striatal dopamine transporter binding and detached personality. Method: Eighteen healthy volunteers participated in a PET study with the specific dopamine transporter ligand [F-18]CFT ([F-18]WIN 35,428) and completed the Karolinska Scales of Personality questionnaire term. Results: Age-corrected dopamine transporter binding in the putamen, but not in the caudate, corre lated negatively with detachment personality scores, especially in the righ t hemisphere. Conclusions: This finding supports the hypothesis that low do paminergic neurotransmission is associated with detached personality. Furth ermore, since [F-18]CFT binding is thought to reflect the density of dopami nergic nerve terminals in the brain, the authors suggest that the neurodeve lopmental formation of the brain dopaminergic system may influence adult pe rsonality traits.