Increased Dopamine Transporter Availability Associated with the 9-Repeat Allele of the SLC6A3 Gene

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FIGURE 1.
Transaxial ¹²³I-β-CIT SPECT image at level of striatum. Scan demonstrates ROIs positioned over right and left caudate, right and left putamen, and occipital cortex. Representative attenuation ellipse is also displayed.
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FIGURE 2.
Striatal DAT availability (V₃″) vs. age (in years) as measured by ¹²³I-β-CIT SPECT in 94 healthy European Americans grouped according to SLC6A3 VNTR genotype. SLC6A3∗9R carriers (n = 41) had significantly higher striatal DAT availability (V₃″) than did SLC6A3∗10R homozygotes (n = 53), controlling for age (F_1,93 = 6.25, P = 0.014, ANCOVA). Both genotypic subgroups showed similar aging effects: For ∗9R carriers, V₃″ declined by 44% over age range 18–88 y, or approximately 6.3% per decade. For ∗10R homozygotes, V₃″ declined by 43% over age range 18–88 y, or approximately 6.2% per decade.
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FIGURE 3.
DAT availability (V₃″) in caudate (A) and putamen (B) vs. age (in years) as measured by ¹²³I-β-CIT SPECT in 94 healthy European Americans grouped according to SLC6A3 VNTR genotype. SLC6A3∗9R carriers (n = 41) had significantly higher DAT availability (V₃″) in both caudate (F_1,93 = 4.88, P = 0.030, ANCOVA) and putamen (F_1,93 = 6.92, P = 0.010, ANCOVA), controlling for age.

Frequency	Genotype (VNTR)	n	%
Observed	10–10	53	56
	9–10	36	38
	9–9	5	5
Expected	10–10	53.6	57
	9–10	34.7	37
	9–9	5.6	6
	χ²	0.12
	df	2
	P	0.94