Distribution of α(2)-Adrenergic Receptors in the Living Human Brain Using [(11)C]yohimbine PET

The neurofunctional basis of the noradrenergic (NA) system and its associated disorders is still very incomplete because in vivo imaging tools in humans have been missing up to now. Here, for the first time, we use [(11)C]yohimbine in a large sample of subjects (46 healthy volunteers, 23 females, 23 males; aged 20–50) to perform direct quantification of regional alpha 2 adrenergic receptors’ (α(2)-ARs) availability in the living human brain. The global map shows the highest [(11)C]yohimbine binding in the hippocampus, the occipital lobe, the cingulate gyrus, and the frontal lobe. Moderate binding was found in the parietal lobe, thalamus, parahippocampus, insula, and temporal lobe. Low levels of binding were found in the basal ganglia, the amygdala, the cerebellum, and the raphe nucleus. Parcellation of the brain into anatomical subregions revealed important variations in [(11)C]yohimbine binding within most structures. Strong heterogeneity was found in the occipital lobe, the frontal lobe, and the basal ganglia, with substantial gender effects. Mapping the distribution of α(2)-ARs in the living human brain may prove useful not only for understanding the role of the NA system in many brain functions, but also for understanding neurodegenerative diseases in which altered NA transmission with specific loss of α(2)-ARs is suspected.