Inverse relationship between serotonin 5-HT1A receptor binding and anxiety: a [C-11]WAY-100635 PET investigation in healthy volunteers

Objective: The authors investigated the relationship between anxiety-a face t of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory dimension of neuroticism-and ser otonin 5-HT1A receptor binding potential. Method: Positron emission tomography with [C-11]WAY-100635 was used to esti mate regional 5-HT1A binding potential in 19 healthy volunteers who complet ed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Correlation coefficients were cal culated to determine the degree of association between 5-HT1A binding poten tial and personality inventory measures. Results: There was a significant negative correlation between 5-HT1A bindin g potential and anxiety in four regions: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex . anterior cingulate cortex, parietal cortex, and occipital cortex. Conclusions: The inverse relationship between 5-HT1A receptor binding poten tial and anxiety is consistent with 1) animal models that have shown higher anxiety in mice lacking 5-HT1A receptors and 2) clinical trial data that h ave demonstrated antianxiety properties of partial 5-HT1A agonists.