Lateralization of the serotonin-1A receptor distribution in language areas revealed by PET
- Author(s)
- Martin Fink, Wolfgang Wadsak, Markus Savli, Patrycja Stein, Ulrike Moser, Andreas Hahn, Leonhard-Key Mien, Kurt Kletter, Markus Mitterhauser, Siegfried Kasper, Rupert Lanzenberger
- Abstract
Lateralization is a well described aspect of the human brain. A plethora of morphological, cytological and functional studies describes hemispheric asymmetry in auditory and language areas. However, no study has reported cortical lateralization in the healthy human brain in vivo on the level of neurotransmitter receptors and in relation to functional organization so far. In this study, we assessed the distribution of the main inhibitory serotonergic receptor (the 5-HT1A receptor) and analyzed its regional binding with regard to hemisphere, sex and plasma levels of sex steroid hormones (testosterone, estradiol, progesterone). We quantified the 5-HT1A receptor binding potential by positron emission tomography (PET) using the highly selective and specific radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635 and measured hormone levels in thirty-four (16 females, 18 males) healthy right-handed subjects. The obtained data were analyzed in an automated region of interest (ROI) based approach investigating 14 auditory, language and limbic areas. We found significantly higher 5-HT1A receptor binding in the superior and middle frontal gyri of the right hemisphere, the triangular and orbital parts of the inferior frontal gyrus, the supramarginal gyrus, the superior gyrus of the temporal pole and the middle temporal gyrus. Regions of the primary and secondary auditory cortex (Heschl's gyrus and superior temporal gyrus) and the Rolandic operculum displayed significantly higher receptor binding in the left hemisphere. 5-HT1A receptor binding was 1.8-2.9% higher in right frontal ROIs and 2-3.6% higher in left primary and secondary auditory regions. There was no hemispheric difference in 5-HT1A receptor binding in the hippocampus, amygdala, and insula. Post-hoc testing suggested that lateralization of 5-HT1A receptor binding differed between the sexes in the triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus. For the first time, this PET study shows lateralization of the main inhibitory receptor of the serotonergic system in functionally asymmetric organized regions of the healthy human brain in vivo.
- Organisation(s)
- External organisation(s)
- Medizinische Universität Wien
- Journal
- NeuroImage
- Volume
- 45
- Pages
- 598-605
- No. of pages
- 8
- ISSN
- 1053-8119
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.11.033
- Publication date
- 2009
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 301305 Medical chemistry
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/937f1413-94d1-42a3-a491-f585a446e236