Dopaminergic modulation of the human reward system: a placebo-controlled dopamine depletion fMRI study

da Silva Alves, Fabiana; Schmitz, Nicole; Figee, Martijn; Abeling, Nico; Hasler, Gregor; van der Meer, Johan; Nederveen, Aart; de Haan, Lieuwe; Linszen, Don; van Amelsvoort, Therese (2011). Dopaminergic modulation of the human reward system: a placebo-controlled dopamine depletion fMRI study. Journal of psychopharmacology, 25(4), pp. 538-49. Los Angeles, Calif.: Sage Publications 10.1177/0269881110367731

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Reward related behaviour is linked to dopaminergic neurotransmission. Our aim was to gain insight into dopaminergic involvement in the human reward system. Combining functional magnetic resonance imaging with dopaminergic depletion by α-methylparatyrosine we measured dopamine-related brain activity in 10 healthy volunteers. In addition to blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast we assessed the effect of dopaminergic depletion on prolactin response, peripheral markers for dopamine and norepinephrine. In the placebo condition we found increased activation in the left caudate and left cingulate gyrus during anticipation of reward. In the α-methylparatyrosine condition there was no significant brain activation during anticipation of reward or loss. In α-methylparatyrosine, anticipation of reward vs. loss increased activation in the right insula, left frontal, right parietal cortices and right cingulate gyrus. Comparing placebo versus α-methylparatyrosine showed increased activation in the left cingulate gyrus during anticipation of reward and the left medial frontal gyrus during anticipation of loss. α-methylparatyrosine reduced levels of dopamine in urine and homovanillic acid in plasma and increased prolactin. No significant effect of α-methylparatyrosine was found on norepinephrine markers. Our findings implicate distinct patterns of BOLD underlying reward processing following dopamine depletion, suggesting a role of dopaminergic neurotransmission for anticipation of monetary reward.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Healthcare Research

UniBE Contributor:

Hasler, Gregor

ISSN:

0269-8811

Publisher:

Sage Publications

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 14:22

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:06

Publisher DOI:

10.1177/0269881110367731

PubMed ID:

20530591

Web of Science ID:

000288499500010

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/7706 (FactScience: 213023)

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback