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



: Salokangas RKR, Vilkman H, Ilonen T, Taiminen T, Bergman J, Haaparanta M, Solin O, Alanen A, Syvalahti E, Hietala J

Publisher: AMER PSYCHIATRIC PRESS, INC

: 2000

: American Journal of Psychiatry

: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY

: AM J PSYCHIAT

: 157

: 4

: 632

: 634

: 3

: 0002-953X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.157.4.632


Objective: The authors' goal was to study presynaptic dopamine activity in smoking and nonsmoking human subjects in vivo. Method: [F-18]Fluorodopa ([F-18]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 [F-18]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.



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