Change in monoamine transporter density related to clinical recovery: A case-control study

Personality disorder is considered a condition disrupting the patient's functional capacity and social relationships. Monoamine receptors and changes in transporter densities have not previously been studied during drug-free psychiatric treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate brain monoamine transporter density in a patient before and after 1 year of psychiatric treatment. The results were compared with similar measurements in a depressed subject with personality disorder receiving no psychiatric treatment during follow-up. Age-matched healthy men served as controls. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was undertaken using radiolabelled [I-123] 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl) tropane. It showed markedly lower monoamine uptake in the medial prefrontal area and thalamus at base line in both patients compared with 10 healthy controls. On follow-up, uptake was normal in the patient who received psychiatric treatment but remained low in the control patient.