Serotonin Modulates the Correlations between Obsessive-compulsive Trait and Heart Rate Variability in Normal Healthy Subjects: A SPECT Study with [ 123 I]ADAM and Heart Rate Variability Measurement

• Published in: Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 271 - 278
• Main Authors: Kuo, Che Yu, Chen, Kao Chin, Lee, I Hui, Tseng, Huai-Hsuan, Chiu, Nan Tsing, Chen, Po See, Yang, Yen Kuang, Chang, Wei Hung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology 31-05-2022; 대한정신약물학회
• Subjects: Original; 정신과학; Serotonin transporter availability; Obsessive compulsive symptoms; Autonomic nervous system; Heart rate variability
• ISSN: 1738-1088; 2093-4327
• DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2022.20.2.271

The impact of serotonergic system on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is well studied. However, the correlation between OC presentations and autonomic nervous system (ANS) is still unclear. Furthermore, whether the correlation might be modulated by serotonin is also uncertain.
We recruited eighty-nine healthy subjects. Serotonin transporter (SERT) availability by [
I]ADAM and heart rate variability (HRV) tests were measured. Symptoms checklist-90 was measured for the OC presentations. The interaction between HRV and SERT availability were calculated and the correlation between HRV and OC symptoms were analyzed after stratified SERT level into two groups, split at medium.
The interactions were significant in the factors of low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). Furthermore, the significantly negative correlations between OC symptoms and the above HRV indexes existed only in subjects with higher SERT availability.
OC symptoms might be correlated with ANS regulations in subjects with higher SERT availability.