Dopamine D1 receptor availability is related to social behavior: a positron emission tomography study

Abstract

Dysfunctional interpersonal behavior is thought to underlie a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders; however, the neurobiological underpinnings of these behavioral disturbances are poorly understood. Previous molecular imaging studies have shown associations between striatal dopamine (DA) D2-receptor binding and interpersonal traits, such as social conformity. The objective of this study was to explore, for the first time, the role of DA D1-receptors (D1-Rs) in human interpersonal behavior. Twenty-three healthy subjects were examined using positron emission tomography and the radioligand [(11)C]SCH23390, yielding D1-R binding potential values. Striatal D1-R binding was related to personality scales selected to specifically assess one dimension of interpersonal behavior, namely a combination of affiliation and dominance (i.e., the Social Desirability, Verbal Trait Aggression and Physical Trait Aggression scales from Swedish Universities Scales of Personality). An exploratory analysis was also performed for extrastriatal brain regions. D1-R binding potential values in the limbic striatum (r = .52; p = .015), associative striatum (r = .55; p = .009), and sensorimotor striatum (r = .67; p = .001) were positively related to Social Desirability scores. D1-R binding potential in the limbic striatum (r = -.51; p = .019) was negatively associated with Physical Trait Aggression scores. For extrastriatal regions, Social Desirability scores showed positive correlations in the amygdala (r = .60; p = .006) and medial frontal cortex (r = .60; p = .004). This study provides further support for the role of DA function in the expression of disaffiliative and dominant traits. Specifically, D1-R availability may serve as a marker for interpersonal behavior in humans. Associations were demonstrated for the same dimension of interpersonal behavior as for D2-R, but in the opposite direction, suggesting that the two receptor subtypes are involved in the same behavioral processes, but with different functional roles.

Keywords: Affiliation; Aggression; Dominance; Dopamine D1-receptors; Positron emission tomography; Social conformity.