The effects of age on serotonergic function have been hypothesized to under
lie age-related changes in mood and behaviors such as sleep and eating. Of
particular interest is the serotonin type-1A (5-HT1A) receptor, due to its
putative role in mediating the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressant treat
ment. Using positron emission tomography (PET) and [C-11-carbonyl] WAY10063
5, we assessed 5-HT1A receptor binding in 21 healthy subjects (10 men, 11 w
omen) ranging in age from 21 to 80 years. Regional binding potential values
were generated using a reference tissue model and corrected for partial vo
lume effects. We observed an inverse relationship between age and binding o
f [C-11-carbonyl] WAY100635 to the 5-HT1A receptor in men, but not women. T
his finding is in accord with observations reported in the postmortem liter
ature. Gender-specific effects of age on central serotonergic function may
relate to differences between men and women in behavior, mood, and suscepti
bility to neuropsychiatric disease across the adult lifespan. (C) 2001 Else
vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.