J. Booij et al., ASSESSMENT OF ENDOGENOUS DOPAMINE RELEASE BY METHYLPHENIDATE CHALLENGE USING I-123 IODOBENZAMIDE SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY, European journal of nuclear medicine, 24(6), 1997, pp. 674-677
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed pharmacologically
induced endogenous dopamine (DA) release in healthy male volunteers (
n = 12). Changes in endogenous DA release after injection of the psych
ostimulant drug methylphenidate were evaluated by single-photon emissi
on tomography (SPET) and constant infusion of iodine-123 iodobenzamide
([I-123]IBZM), a D-2 receptor radioligand that is sensitive to endoge
nous DA release. Methylphenidate induced displacement of striatal [I-1
23]IBZM binding, resulting in a significantly decrease in the specific
to non-specific [I-123]IBZM uptake ratio (average: 8.6%) in compariso
n with placebo (average: -1.9%). Moreover, injection of methylphenidat
e induced significant behavioural responses on the following items: ex
citement, anxiety, tension, and mannerisms and posturing. The results
of this study demonstrate the feasibility of using constant infusion o
f [I-123]IBZM and SPET imaging to measure endogenous DA release after
methylphenidate challenge and to investigate neurochemical aspects of
behaviour.