High levels of dopamine activity in the basal ganglia of cigarette smokers.

Salokangas, R K; Vilkman, H; Ilonen, T; Taiminen, T; Bergman, J; Haaparanta, M; Solin, O; Alanen, A et al. · Am J Psychiatry · 2000

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

The authors' goal was to study presynaptic dopamine activity in smoking and nonsmoking human subjects in vivo. [(18)F]Fluorodopa ([(18)F]DOPA) uptake K(i) values in the basal ganglia of nine smoking and 10 nonsmoking healthy men were measured with positron emission tomography. Significantly higher [(18)F]DOPA uptake was observed in both the putamen (average 17.3% higher) and the caudate (average 30.4% higher) of smokers than in those of nonsmokers. Smoking is related to greater dopamine activity in the human basal ganglia. Nicotine-induced dopamine activity may be a relevant mechanism in dependence on cigarette smoking.

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