Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-8kt4b Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-04T13:25:52.479Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Neurochemical brain imaging studies in bipolar disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Lakshmi N. Yatham  and
Gin S. Malhi
Lakshmi N. Yatham*
Affiliation:
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Gin S. Malhi
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Mood Disorders Unit, Sydney, Australia
*
Lakshmi N. Yatham MBBS FRCPC, University of British Columbia, Department of Psychiatry, UBC Hospital, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 2A1. Tel: (604) 822-7325; Fax: (604) 822-7922; Email: yatham@interchange.ubc.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

We reviewed the neurochemical brain imaging literature in bipolar disorder to synthesize the findings and provide directions for future research.

Methods:

Relevant articles were retrieved by computerized Medline Ovid search (up to and including 2002) and complemented by bibliographic manual searches of reviews known to the authors.

Results:

PET and SPECT studies in bipolar disorder have identified changes in various aspects of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Ligands for other neurotransmitters are actively being pursued. Spectroscopy studies have utilized a number of MRS-sensitive nuclei to chemically ‘biopsy’ the brain of patients with bipolar disorder. Few consistent findings are emerging, however, the majority of nuclei that can be measured are not directly related to the pathophysiology of the disorder.

Conclusions:

Brain imaging has the potential to unravel the neurochemical underpinnings of bipolar disorder, however, there is a continuing need for clinical, technical and methodological sophistication.

Keywords

PETSPECTMRSbipolar disorderaffective disorder
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 15 , Issue 6 , December 2003 , pp. 381 - 387
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 Blackwell Munksgaard

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Shiah, IS, Yatham, LN. Serotonin in mania and in the mechanism of action of mood stabilizers: a review of clinical studies. Bipolar Disord 2000;2: 77–92. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yatham, LN, Liddle, PF, Shiah, IS. Brain imaging studies of dopamine function in mood disorders. In Soares, JC, ed. Brain imaging in affective disorders. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2003: 181–200. Google Scholar
Soares, JC, Krishnan, KR, Keshavan, MS. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: new insights into the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Depression 1996;4: 14–30.3.0.CO;2-F>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Michael, N, Erfurth, A, Ohrmann, P, Gossling, Met al. Acute mania is accompanied by elevated glutamate/ glutamine levels within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2003;168: 344–346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yatham, LN, Liddle, PF, Shiah, ISet al. PET study of [(18)F]6-fluoro-L-dopa uptake in neuroleptic- and mood-stabilizer-naive first-episode nonpsychotic mania: effects of treatment with divalproex sodium. Am J Psychiatry 2002;159: 768–774.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zubieta, JK, Huguelet, P, Ohl, LEet al. High vesicular monoamine transporter binding in asymptomatic bipolar I disorder: sex differences and cognitive correlates. Am J Psychiatry 2000;157: 1619–1628.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anand, A, Verhoeff, P, Seneca, Net al. Brain SPECT imaging of amphetamine-induced dopamine release in euthymic bipolar disorder patients. Am J Psychiatry 2000;157: 1108–1114.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suhara, T, Nakayama, K, Inoue, Oet al. D1 dopamine receptor binding in mood disorders measured by positron emission tomography. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1992;106: 14–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pearlson, GD, Wong, DF, Tune, LEet al. In vivo D2 dopamine receptor density in psychotic and nonpsychotic patients with bipolar disorder. Arch General Psychiatry 1995;52: 471–477. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yatham, LN, Liddle, PF, Lam, RWet al. PET study of the effects of valproate on dopamine D(2) receptors in neuroleptic- and mood-stabilizer-naive patients with nonpsychotic mania. Am J Psychiatry 2002;159: 1718–1723.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ichimiya, T, Suhara, T, Sudo, Yet al. Serotonin transporter binding in patients with mood disorders: a PET study with [11C](+)McN5652. Biol Psychiatry 2002;51: 715–722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahlstrom, M, Ahonen, A, Ebeling, H, Torniainen, P, Heikkila, J, Moilanen, I. Elevated hypothalamic/midbrain serotonin (monoamine) transporter availability in depressive drug-naive children and adolescents. Mol Psychiatry 2000;5: 514–522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malison, RT, Price, LH, Berman, Ret al. Reduced brain serotonin transporter availability in major depression as measured by [123I]-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4-iodophenyl) tropane and single photon emission computed tomography. Biol Psychiatry 1998;44: 1090–1098.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zubieta, JK, Taylor, SF, Huguelet, P, Koeppe, RA, Kilbourn, MR, Frey, KA. Vesicular monoamine transporter concentrations in bipolar disorder type I, schizophrenia, and healthy subjects. Biol Psychiatry 2001;49: 110–116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drevets, WC, Frank, E, Price, JCet al. PET imaging of serotonin 1A receptor binding in depression. Biol Psychiatry 1999;46: 1375–1387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sargent, PA, Kjaer, KH, Bench, CJet al. Brain serotonin1A receptor binding measured by positron emission tomography with [11C]WAY-100635: effects of depression and antidepressant treatment. Arch General Psychiatry 2000;57: 174–180. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yatham, LN, Liddle, PF, Shiah, ISet al. Brain serotonin2 receptors in major depression: a positron emission tomography study. Arch General Psychiatry 2000;57: 850–858. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Biver, F, Wikler, D, Lotstra, F, Damhaut, P, Goldman, S, Mendlewicz, J. Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor imaging in major depression: focal changes in orbito-insular cortex. Br J Psychiatry 1997;171: 444–448.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Attar-Levy, D, Martinot, JL, Blin, Jet al. The cortical serotonin2 receptors studied with positron-emission tomography and [18F]-setoperone during depressive illness and antidepressant treatment with clomipramine. Biol Psychiatry 1999;45: 180–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, JH, Kapur, S, Houle, Set al. Prefrontal cortex 5-HT2 receptors in depression: an [18F]setoperone PET imaging study. Am J Psychiatry 1999;156: 1029–1034.Google ScholarPubMed
Meltzer, CC, Price, JC, Mathis, CAet al. PET imaging of serotonin type 2A receptors in late-life neuropsychiatric disorders. Am J Psychiatry 1999;156: 1871–1878.Google ScholarPubMed
Wilson, AA, Patrick, JD, Mozley, Det al. Synthesis and in vivo evaluation of novel radiotracers for the in vivo imaging of the norepinephrine transporter. Nucl Med Biol 2003;30: 85–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Karson, CN, Newton, JEO, Mohanakrishnan, P, Sprigg, J, Komoroski, RA. Fluoxetine and trifluoperazine in human brain: a 19F-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Psychiatry Res: Neuroimaging 1992;45: 95–104. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keshavan, MS, Stanley, JA, Pettegrew, JW. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in schizophrenia. Methodological issues and findings–part II. Biol Psychiatry 2000;48: 369–380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stanley, JA, Pettegrew, JW, Keshavan, MS. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in schizophrenia. Methodological issues and findings – part I. Biol Psychiatry 2000;48: 357–368.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kato, T, Takahashi, S, Shioiri, T, Inubushi, T. Brain phosphorous metabolism in depressive disorders detected by phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Affect Disord 1992;26: 223–230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kato, T, Takahashi, S, Shioiri, T, Inubushi, T. Alterations in brain phosphorus metabolism in bipolar disorder detected by in vivo 31P and 7Li magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Affect Disord 1993;27: 53–59.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kato, T, Shioiri, T, Takahashi, S, Inubushi, T. Measurement of brain phosphoinositide metabolism in bipolar patients using in vivo 31P-MRS. J Affect Disord 1991;22: 185–190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kato, T, Murasita, J, Kamiya, A, Shiori, N, Kato, N, Inubushi, T. Decreased brain intracellular pH measured by ‘P-MR’ in bipolar disorder, a confirmation of drug free patients and correlation with white mater hyperintensity. Eur Arch Psychiatr Clin Neurosci 1998;248: 301–306. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deicken, RF, Weiner, MW, Fein, G. Decreased temporal lobe phosphomonoesters in bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord 1995;33: 195–199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, GJ, Bebchuk, JM, Hasanat, Ket al. Lithium increases N-acetyl-aspartate in the human brain: in vivo evidence in support of bcl-2's neurotrophic effects? Biol Psychiatry 2000;48: 1–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stoll, AL, Sachs, GS, Cohen, BM, Lafer, B, Christensen, JD, Renshaw, PF. Choline in the treatment of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: Clinical and neurochemical findings in lithium-treated patients. Biol Psychiatry 1996;40: 382–388.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sharma, R, Venkatasubramanian, PN, Barany, M, Davis, JM. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain in schizophrenic and affective patients. Schizophr Res 1992;8: 43–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kato, T, Fujii, K, Shioiri, T, Inubushi, T, Takahashi, S. Lithium side effects in relation to brain lithium concentration measured by lithium-7 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Progr Neuro-Psychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1996;20: 87–97. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamakawa, H, Kato, T, Murashita, J, Kato, N. Quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the basal ganglia in patients with affective disorders. Eur Arch Psychiatr Clin Neurosci 1998;248: 53–58. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamakawa, H, Kato, T, Shioiri, T, Inubushi, T, Kato, N. Quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the bilateral frontal lobes in patients with bipolar disorder. Psychol Med 1999;29: 639–644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malhi, GS, Valenzuela, M, Wen, W, Sachdev, P. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and its applications in psychiatry. Austr NZ J Psychiatry 2002;36: 31–43. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winsberg, ME, Sachs, N, Tate, DL, Adalsteinsson, E, Spielman, D, Ketter, TA. Decreased dorsolateral prefrontal N-acetyl aspartate in bipolar disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2000;47: 475–481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bertolino, A, Nawroz, S, Mattay, VSet al. Regionally specific pattern of neurochemical pathology in schizophrenia as assessed by multislice proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Am J Psychiatry 1996;153: 1554–1563.Google ScholarPubMed
Cecil, KM, Lenkinski, RE, Gur, RE, Gur, RC. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the frontal and temporal lobes of neuroleptic naive patients with schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 1999;20: 131–140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davanzo, P, Thomas, MA, Yue, Ket al. Decreased anterior cingulate myo-inositol/creatine spectroscopy resonance with lithium treatment in children with bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2001;24: 359–369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cecil, KMI, Bello, MP, Morey, R, Strakowski, SM. Frontal lobe differences in bipolar disorder as determined by proton MR spectroscopy. Bipolar Disorders 2002;4: 357–365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sassi, RB, Nicoletti, M, Brambilla, Pet al. Increased gray matter volume in lithium-treated bipolar disorder patients. Neuroscience Lett 2002;329: 243–245. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Silverstone, PH, Wu, RH, O'Donnell, T, Ulrich, M, Asghar, SJ, Hanstock, CC. Chronic treatment with lithium, but not sodium valproate, increases cortical N-acetyl-aspartate concentrations in euthymic bipolar patients. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2003;18: 73–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soares, JC, Boada, F, Keshavan, MS. Brain lithium measurements with 7Li magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS): a literature review. Europ Neuropsychopharmacol 2000;10: 151–158. CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Soares, JC, Boada, F, Spencer, Set al. Brain lithium concentrations in bipolar disorder patients: preliminary 7Li magnetic resonance studies at 3 T. Biol Psychiatry 2001;49: 437–443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar