Simultaneous [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 and [123I]-ADAM brain SPECT in MDMA-treated monkeys

Objectives 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or Ecstasy) is a popular abused substance that produces neurotoxicity in animal and human. However, deteriorations in the brain dopaminergic and serotonergic systems under MDMA abuse have not been simultaneously investigated yet.

Methods In this study, we simultaneously assessed dopamine and serotonin transporters in primates using [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 (a dopamine transporter imaging agent) and [123I]-ADAM (a serotonin transporter imaging agent) SPECT. Three healthy and two MDMA-treated monkeys were used for the experiment. SPECT was carried out over 5h after simultaneously injected [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 and [123I]-ADAM.

Results The results showed that the striatal [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 uptake in the MDMA-treated monkeys was comparable to that of normal monkeys. The uptakes of [123I]-ADAM in the midbrain, thalamus, and striatum of the MDMA-treated monkeys were obviously lower than those of normal monkeys.

Conclusions These results suggest that dual isotope SPECT with [99mTc]-TRODAT-1 and [123I]-ADAM may simultaneously assess the status of dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in a MDMA-treated primate model