High levels of dopamine activity in the basal ganglia of cigarette smokers

Am J Psychiatry. 2000 Apr;157(4):632-4. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.4.632.

Abstract

Objective: The authors' goal was to study presynaptic dopamine activity in smoking and nonsmoking human subjects in vivo.

Method: [(18)F]Fluorodopa ([(18)F]DOPA) uptake K(i) values in the basal ganglia of nine smoking and 10 nonsmoking healthy men were measured with positron emission tomography.

Results: Significantly higher [(18)F]DOPA uptake was observed in both the putamen (average 17.3% higher) and the caudate (average 30.4% higher) of smokers than in those of nonsmokers.

Conclusions: Smoking is related to greater dopamine activity in the human basal ganglia. Nicotine-induced dopamine activity may be a relevant mechanism in dependence on cigarette smoking.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Basal Ganglia / diagnostic imaging
  • Basal Ganglia / metabolism*
  • Caudate Nucleus / diagnostic imaging
  • Caudate Nucleus / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / diagnostic imaging
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Dihydroxyphenylalanine / analogs & derivatives
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Dopamine / physiology
  • Female
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Putamen / diagnostic imaging
  • Putamen / metabolism
  • Smoking / metabolism*
  • Smoking / physiopathology
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / metabolism
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / physiopathology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed*

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • fluorodopa F 18
  • Dihydroxyphenylalanine
  • Dopamine