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ARTICLE, Behavioral/Systems

Loss of Dopamine Transporters in Methamphetamine Abusers Recovers with Protracted Abstinence

Nora D. Volkow, Linda Chang, Gene-Jack Wang, Joanna S. Fowler, Dinko Franceschi, Mark Sedler, Samuel J. Gatley, Eric Miller, Robert Hitzemann, Yu-Shin Ding and Jean Logan
Journal of Neuroscience 1 December 2001, 21 (23) 9414-9418; https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-23-09414.2001
Nora D. Volkow
1Medical and
3Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, and
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Linda Chang
1Medical and
3Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, and
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Gene-Jack Wang
1Medical and
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Joanna S. Fowler
2Chemistry Departments, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973,
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Dinko Franceschi
1Medical and
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Mark Sedler
3Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, and
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Samuel J. Gatley
1Medical and
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Eric Miller
4Department of Psychiatry, Harbor–University of California, Los Angeles, Torrance, California 90502
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Robert Hitzemann
3Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, and
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Yu-Shin Ding
1Medical and
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Jean Logan
1Medical and
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  • Fig. 1.
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    Fig. 1.

    Brain images of the distribution volume of [11C]d-threo-methylphenidate in a control and a METH abuser. Images shown were obtained at the level of the striatum (images to the left) and the cerebellum (images to the right), and they are from a normal control and a METH abuser evaluated twice, during short and protracted abstinence. Notice the significant increases in binding in striatum in the METH abuser with protracted abstinence.

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    Fig. 2.

    Individual measures for DAT availability in the five METH abusers tested twice during short and protracted abstinence. Measures of DAT availability (Bmax/Kd) were significantly increased with protracted abstinence in caudate (p < 0.003) and putamen (p < 0.05). Repeated-measures ANOVA.

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    Fig. 3.

    A, Correlation between changes in DAT in putamen between the first and second evaluations and the reported doses (r = 0.88; df = 4;p < 0.05) and years of METH used (r = 0.83; df = 4; p < 0.08). B, Correlation between changes in DAT in striatum between the first and second evaluations and the days elapsed between evaluations (r = 0.92; df = 4;p < 0.05).

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    Table 1.

    Measures of K1 and DAT availability in controls and methamphetamine abusers evaluated during short or protracted abstinence

    Controls (n = 11)METH abusers (short abstinence) (n = 12)METH abusers (protracted abstinence) (n = 10)
    K1
     Cerebellum0.42  ± 0.110.48  ± 0.170.46  ± 0.11
     Caudate0.58  ± 0.120.63  ± 0.180.55  ± 0.07
     Putamen0.64  ± 0.140.73  ± 0.240.62  ± 0.08
    Bmax/Kd
     Caudate1.76  ± 0.271.32  ± 0.28*1.67  ± 0.291-160
     Putamen1.97  ± 0.211.56  ± 0.30*1.80  ± 0.35
    • The K1 (transfer constant of [11C]d-threo-methylphenidate from plasma to brain) and Bmax/Kd(measure of DAT availability) were measured in 11 controls, 12 METH abusers evaluated during short abstinence (64 ± 40 d of abstinence), and 10 METH abusers evaluated during protracted abstinence (15 ± 7 months of abstinence). Note that the data for the five METH abusers tested twice was included in this group analysis: the data obtained during the first evaluation as part of the group tested during short abstinence and the data obtained during the second evaluation as part of the group tested during protracted abstinence. Factorial ANOVA showed that the group differences were significant forBmax/Kd in caudate (p < 0.002) and putamen (p < 0.01).Post hoc t tests;

    • ↵* p < 0.003, different from controls;

    • ↵F1-160 p < 0.01, different from short abstinence.

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The Journal of Neuroscience: 21 (23)
Journal of Neuroscience
Vol. 21, Issue 23
1 Dec 2001
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Loss of Dopamine Transporters in Methamphetamine Abusers Recovers with Protracted Abstinence
Nora D. Volkow, Linda Chang, Gene-Jack Wang, Joanna S. Fowler, Dinko Franceschi, Mark Sedler, Samuel J. Gatley, Eric Miller, Robert Hitzemann, Yu-Shin Ding, Jean Logan
Journal of Neuroscience 1 December 2001, 21 (23) 9414-9418; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-23-09414.2001

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Loss of Dopamine Transporters in Methamphetamine Abusers Recovers with Protracted Abstinence
Nora D. Volkow, Linda Chang, Gene-Jack Wang, Joanna S. Fowler, Dinko Franceschi, Mark Sedler, Samuel J. Gatley, Eric Miller, Robert Hitzemann, Yu-Shin Ding, Jean Logan
Journal of Neuroscience 1 December 2001, 21 (23) 9414-9418; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-23-09414.2001
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Keywords

  • methamphetamine
  • dopamine transporters
  • imaging
  • positron emission tomography
  • addiction
  • detoxification
  • neurotoxicity
  • dopamine terminal

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