Nash Jon R, Sargent Peter A, Rabiner Eugenii A, Hood Sean D, Argyropoulos Spilios V, Potokar John P, Grasby Paul M, Nutt David J
University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK.
Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Sep;193(3):229-34. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.041186.
The importance of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) in the pathophysiology of anxiety is well known. A key role for postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors has recently been suggested in studies of genetic knockout mice.
To measure 5-HT(1A) receptor binding in patients with panic disorder in the untreated state and after recovery on treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Nine symptomatic untreated patients with panic disorder, seven patients recovered on SSRI medication and nineteen healthy volunteers underwent a single positron emission tomography (PET) scan using the 5-HT(1A) tracer [(11)C]WAY-100635.
In comparison with controls, both presynaptic and postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptor binding was reduced in untreated patients, with the most significant reductions being in the raphe, orbitofrontal cortex, temporal cortex and amygdala. In recovered patients presynaptic binding was reduced, but there was no significant reduction in postsynaptic binding.
Panic disorder is associated with reduced 5-HT(1A) receptor availability, which is also known to have a key role in depression.
神经递质5-羟色胺（5-HT）在焦虑症病理生理学中的重要性已广为人知。近期在基因敲除小鼠研究中提示了突触后5-HT(1A)受体的关键作用。
测量未经治疗的惊恐障碍患者以及经选择性5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂（SSRI）治疗康复后的患者体内5-HT(1A)受体结合情况。
9名有症状的未经治疗的惊恐障碍患者、7名经SSRI药物治疗康复的患者以及19名健康志愿者接受了一次使用5-HT(1A)示踪剂[(11)C]WAY-100635的正电子发射断层扫描（PET）。
与对照组相比，未经治疗的患者突触前和突触后5-HT(1A)受体结合均减少，其中最显著的减少部位是中缝核、眶额叶皮质、颞叶皮质和杏仁核。康复患者的突触前结合减少，但突触后结合无显著减少。
惊恐障碍与5-HT(1A)受体可用性降低有关，5-HT(1A)受体可用性降低在抑郁症中也起着关键作用。
