Mlp. Martinot et al., Decreased presynaptic dopamine function in the left caudate of depressed patients with affective flattening and psychomotor retardation, AM J PSYCHI, 158(2), 2001, pp. 314-316
Objective: The study assessed striatal presynaptic dopamine function in pat
ients with different subtypes of depression.
Method: Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography with [F
-18]fluorodopa ([F-18]DOPA) were used to compare six depressed patients wit
h marked affective flattening and psychomotor retardation, six depressed pa
tients with marked impulsivity and anxiety, and 10 healthy comparison subje
cts. Depressed patient groups were matched for severity of depression.
Results: [F-18]DOPA uptake K-i values in the left caudate were significantl
y lower in patients with psychomotor retardation than in patients with high
impulsivity and in comparison subjects.
Conclusions: These results suggest that left caudate dopamine function diff
ers between depressed patients with psychomotor retardation and those with
impulsivity and provide direct evidence of a link between dopamine hypofunc
tion and psychomotor retardation in depression.