Abstract
Background
There are sex differences in the clinical features of several neuropsychiatric illnesses
associated with dopamine dysfunction. The effects of sex on brain dopaminergic function
have been sparsely studied in human subjects using modern imaging techniques. We have
previously reported that the apparent affinity of [11C]raclopride for striatal D2 dopamine receptors in vivo is lower in women than in men, whereas D2 receptor density is not different. This finding indirectly suggests that women have
a higher synaptic concentration of dopamine in the striatum. We explored further the
basis of this phenomenon in an independent study and hypothesized that striatal presynaptic
dopamine synthesis capacity would also be elevated in women.
Methods
A total of 23 healthy men and 12 healthy women (age range 20–60 years) were studied
using positron emission tomography and [18F]fluorodopa.
Results
Women had significantly higher striatal [18F]fluorodopa uptake (Ki values) than men. The difference was more marked in the caudate
(+26%) than in the putamen (+12%). In addition, there was a negative correlation between
striatal [18F]fluorodopa Ki values and age in men but not in women.
Conclusions
The results further substantiate sex differences in striatal dopaminergic function
in humans. This finding may be associated with sex differences in vulnerability and
clinical course of neuropsychiatric disorders with dopaminergic dysregulation, e.g.,
schizophrenia, alcohol dependence, and Parkinson’s disease.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
February 12,
2002
Received in revised form:
February 5,
2002
Received:
September 4,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
