Abstract：
Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial behavior, poor behavioral control and lacking empathy, and structural alterations in the corresponding neural circuits. Molecular brain basis of psychopathy remains poorly characterized. Here we studied type 2 dopamine receptor (D2R) and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) availability in convicted violent offenders with high psychopathic traits (n = 11) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Psychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and striatal D2R availability was also associated with degree of psychopathic traits in this prisoner sample. No group differences were found in MOR availability, although in the prisoner sample, psychopathic traits were negatively correlated with MOR availability in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. We conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for alterations in the MOR system is more limited.
摘要：
精神病的特点是反社会行为，不良的行为控制和缺乏同理心，以及相应神经回路的结构改变。精神病的分子大脑基础仍然缺乏表征。在这里，我们使用正电子发射断层扫描（PET）研究了具有高精神病特征（n=11）和健康匹配对照（n=17）的定罪暴力罪犯中2型多巴胺受体（D2R）和μ阿片受体（MOR）的可用性。用放射性配体[11C]雷氯必利测量D2R,用放射性配体[11C]卡芬太尼测量MORs。精神病患者在尾状核和壳核中的D2R可用性降低，在该囚犯样本中，纹状体D2R的可用性也与精神病特征的程度相关。MOR可用性没有发现组间差异，虽然在囚犯样本中,精神病性状与杏仁核和伏隔核的MOR可用性呈负相关。我们得出结论，D2R信号传导可能是精神病的推定神经分子途径，而MOR系统改变的证据较为有限。
