ASL Based PhMRI in Assessing Serotonergic Response in Users of XTC

Marieke L. Schouw¹, Sanna Gevers¹, Charles B.L.M. Majoie², Jan Booij³, Aart J. Nederveen, Liesbeth Reneman

We investigate whether pharmacologic magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) is suitable in detecting serotonin terminal loss in users of XTC (MDMA, ecstasy). 10 XTC users and 7 controls underwent ASL (arterial spin labelling) based phMR imaging with a challenge with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram. Data were combined with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with [123I]-CIT. Markedly different citalopram-induced CBF changes were observed in XTC users compared to controls, in brain regions that also showed (a tendency) towards reduced SERT densities. These preliminary results suggest that ASL-based CBF measurements may be indirect measures of serotonin terminal loss.