Increase in prefrontal cortex serotonin 2A receptors following estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women

Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Aug;160(8):1522-4. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.8.1522.

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the effect of estrogen on brain serotonin 2A (5-HT(2A)) receptors in postmenopausal women and whether there was any correlation of receptor changes with cognition and mood.

Method: Ten postmenopausal subjects underwent positron emission tomography measurements of 5-HT(2A) receptor binding with [(18)F]deuteroaltanserin before and after estrogen replacement therapy.

Results: 5-HT(2A) receptor binding was significantly increased after estrogen replacement therapy in the right prefrontal cortex (right precentral gyrus [Brodmann's area 9], inferior frontal gyrus [Brodmann's area 47], medial frontal gyrus [Brodmann's area 6, 10] and the anterior cingulate cortex [Brodmann's area 32]). In the inferior frontal gyrus [Brodmann's area 44]), receptor up-regulation was correlated with change in plasma estradiol. Verbal fluency and Trail Making Test performance, but not mood, were significantly improved by estrogen without correlation with receptor changes.

Conclusions: Estrogen increases 5-HT(2A) receptor binding in human prefrontal regions.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Cutaneous
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Estradiol / administration & dosage
  • Estradiol / blood
  • Estradiol / therapeutic use*
  • Estrogen Replacement Therapy*
  • Female
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Ketanserin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Postmenopause / drug effects
  • Postmenopause / psychology*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / chemistry
  • Prefrontal Cortex / diagnostic imaging
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism*
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Pyramidal Cells / chemistry
  • Pyramidal Cells / diagnostic imaging
  • Pyramidal Cells / metabolism
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
  • Receptors, Serotonin / analysis
  • Receptors, Serotonin / drug effects
  • Receptors, Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Estradiol
  • altanserin
  • Ketanserin