Dopamine D1 receptor binding in the striatum of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic anxiety disorder of unknown aetiology. Psychopharmacological studies have suggested a role for the neurotransmitter serotonin however further evidence for serotonin in the aetiology of OCD is conflicted. The authors used positron emission tomography (PET) to examine the binding of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist [11C]-SCH23390 to D1 receptors in the striatum of drug-free OCD patients compared with healthy controls. Methods: Seven drug-free patients (two drug naïve) with OCD and seven age, gender and education matched healthy controls underwent positron emission tomography with [11C]-SCH23390. Binding Potentials (BP) at D1 recep..