No abstract

We here describe a multimodality neuroimaging containing data from healthy volunteers and patients, acquired within the Lundbeck Foundation Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging (Cimbi) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The data is of particular relevance for neurobiological research questions related to the serotonergic transmitter system with its normative data on the serotonergic subtype receptors 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT4 and the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT), but can easily serve other purposes. The Cimbi database and Cimbi biobank were formally established in 2008 with the purpose to store the wealth of Cimbi-acquired data in a highly structured and standardized manner in accordance with the regulations issued by the Danish Data Protection Agency as well as to provide a quality-controlled resource for future hypothesis-generating and hypothesis-driven studies. The Cimbi database currently comprises a total of 1100 PET and 1000 structural and functional MRI scans and it holds a multitude of additional data, such as genetic and biochemical data, and scores from 17 self-reported questionnaires and from 11 neuropsychological paper/computer tests. The database associated Cimbi biobank currently contains blood and in some instances saliva samples from about 500 healthy volunteers and 300 patients with e.g., major depression, dementia, substance abuse, obesity, and impulsive aggression. Data continue to be added to the Cimbi database and biobank.

Objective: Dopamine plays an important role in both the rewarding and conditioning effects of food. These effects involve mesolimbic, mesocortical, and nigrostriatal pathways. In humans, the most consistent finding has been reduced striatal dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability. In striatum, dopamine is inactivated by reuptake via the dopamine transporter (DAT). The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis of lower DAT availability in obese healthy subjects using a selective DAT radiotracer in a sample of subjects with a wide range of BMI values. Design and Methods: Thirty-three healthy subjects with a mean age of 48.4 6 13.3 (range, 21-71) years and a mean BMI of 29.6 6 7.8 kg/m 2 (range, 21.0-49.5) were included in the study. We used [123 I]PE2I and SPECT to measure DAT availability. Results: Using multiple linear regression analyses with striatal DAT as the dependent variable and BMI, age and gender as predictors was performed. We found no correlation between BMI and striatal DAT availability in striatum (P ¼ 0.99), caudate nucleus (P ¼ 0.61), and putamen (P ¼ 0.30). Furthermore, we found no group difference between obese/severely obese (BMI > 30 kg/m 2 ) and normal weight controls (BMI 25 kg/m 2 ). Conclusions: We did not find any correlation between BMI and DAT availability in healthy volunteers.