Further evidence of dopamine transporter dysregulation in ADHD: a controlled PET imaging study using altropane

BACKGROUND: The dopamine transporter (DAT) is known to be a key regulator of dopamine, and recent studies of genetics, treatment, and imaging have highlighted the role of DAT in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The findings of in vivo neuroimaging of DAT in ADHD have been somewhat discrepant, however.
METHOD: Dopamine transporter binding was measured using a highly selective ligand (C-11 altropane) and positron emission tomography (PET). The sample consisted of 47 well-characterized, treatment-naïve, nonsmoking, non-comorbid adults with and without ADHD. Additionally, control subjects had few symptoms of ADHD.
RESULTS: Results showed significantly increased DAT binding in the right caudate in adults with ADHD compared with matched control subjects without this disorder.
CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm abnormal DAT binding in the striatum of adults with ADHD and provide further support that dysregulation of DAT may be an important component of the pathophysiology of ADHD.