[123I]beta-CIT SPECT imaging of striatal dopamine transporter binding in Tourette's disorder.

OBJECTIVE

The authors examined whether subjects with Tourette's disorder have greater than normal striatal dopamine transporter densities, as suggested by previous post-mortem findings.

METHOD: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and [123I]2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane ([123I]beta-CIT) were used to assess dopamine transporter levels in five adult patients with Tourette's disorder and five age- and gender-matched healthy comparison subjects.

RESULTS

Striatal [123I]beta-CIT binding was a mean of 37% (range = 6%-79%) higher in the subjects with Tourette's disorder than in the comparison subjects, and each Tourette's disorder patient had a higher level than his or her paired comparison subject.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings corroborate post-mortem results and support the hypothesis of a dysregulation in presynaptic dopamine function in Tourette's disorder.