Dopamine transporter density and novelty seeking among alcoholics

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate a putative association between the personality trait of novelty seeking (NS) and dopaminergic neur onal activity in the human brain. Method: We studied the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) density of 30 (1 8 early and 12 late-onset) alcoholics and 26 healthy controls with beta -CI T ([I-123]-2-beta -carbomethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyl)-tropane) and SPET (Si ngle Photon Emission Tomography); personality traits were assessed with the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Results: DAT density correlated significantly with both NS (r = 0.46, p = 0 .011) and age (r = -0.50, p = 0.005) in the alcoholics, generally. NS score s were higher in alcoholics with antisocial personality disorder (p = 0.004 ) than among other alcoholics. Conclusion: Among alcoholics, NS correlated positively with DAT density, wh ich is in line with Cloninger's theory concerning personality and character . (C) 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.