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.