Dopamine D(2)/D(3)-receptor and transporter densities in nucleus accumbens and amygdala of type 1 and 2 alcoholics.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Post-mortem case-control study
PubMed 11326293 · doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4000859
What was done
The authors performed whole hemispheric autoradiography on post-mortem human brains from Cloninger type 1 alcoholics, type 2 alcoholics, and healthy controls. They measured dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor density using [(125)I]epidepride and dopamine transporter density using [(125)I]PE2I in the nucleus accumbens and amygdala.
What was found
Compared with healthy controls, type 1 alcoholics showed 20% lower mean [(125)I]epidepride binding to dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors in the nucleus accumbens and 41% lower binding in the amygdala. In addition, [(125)I]PE2I binding to dopamine transporters in the nucleus accumbens was 39% lower in type 1 alcoholics. Quantitative data for type 2 alcoholics were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study provides post-mortem neurochemical evidence of lower dopamine receptor and transporter densities in limbic regions of type 1 alcoholics, supporting the hypothesis that alcohol overuse may reflect an effort to stimulate deficient dopaminergic pathways.
Limits
The abstract omits sample sizes (n), demographic details, post-mortem intervals, cause of death, and measures of statistical significance or variance. Results for type 2 alcoholics are mentioned in the methods but omitted from findings. The post-mortem cross-sectional design cannot establish causality.
Cited by
- supports People with alcohol use disorder have lower dopamine receptor density and lower dopamine transporter density compared to people without alcohol use disorder.