Association of novelty seeking scores and striatal dopamine D₂/D₃ receptor availability of healthy volunteers: single photon emission computed tomography with ¹²³i-iodobenzamide.

It has been speculated that novelty seeking (NS) behavior is related to the dopaminergic system. Fifty-two subjects completed the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and underwent single photon emission computed tomography with (123)I-iodobenzamide. A marginally positive correlation was noted between NS and striatal dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor availability (r = 0.25, p =0.07). A positive association was noted between the NS scores and left striatal D(2)/D(3) receptor availability (r= 0.29, p =0.04). The results suggest that a relationship might exist between NS score and dopaminergic activity.