Cited by 119Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudyTreatment of Major DepressionSmoking Behavior and Cessation

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 49 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 30 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Persistent β 2 *-Nicotinic Acetylcholinergic Receptor Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder

Open access

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Modulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), specifically those containing the β2 subunit, may be effective in treating patients with major depressive disorder. Using [123I]5-I-A-85380 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), the authors studied the availability of β2-subunit-containing nAChRs (β2*-nAChRs) in depressed patients. To understand its molecular basis, the authors also studied β2*-nAChR binding in postmortem brain samples from depressed subjects. METHOD: The participants were 23 medication-free, nonsmoking subjects with familial, early-onset depression (eight acutely ill and 15 recovered) and 23 age- and gender-matched nonsmoking comparison subjects. Each received one [123I]5-I-A-85380 SPECT scan and an MRI scan. The availability of β2*-nAChRs was quantified as VT/fP. Postmortem analysis of β2*-nAChR binding was conducted with [123I]5-I-A-85380 on prefrontal cortex samples from 14 depressed subjects and 14 age-matched comparison subjects. RESULTS: The β2*-nAChR availability in both the acutely ill and recovered depressed subjects was significantly lower across all brain regions than in the respective comparison subjects, and it was lower in the acutely ill subjects than in those who were recovered. In the depressed patients, β2*-nAChR availability was significantly correlated with lifetime number of depressive episodes, trauma score, and anxiety score. There were no differences in β2*-nAChR number between groups in the postmortem study. CONCLUSIONS: Depressed patients have lower β2*-nAChR availability than do healthy subjects. The difference between β2*-nAChR availability in vivo and in post-mortem samples may be analogous to data with dopaminergic PET ligands and dopamine receptor availability; lower receptor availability for the SPECT ligand could be caused by greater endogenous acetylcholine.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In medication-free, non-smoking patients with familial major depressive disorder (MDD), β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (β2*-nAChR) availability measured by [123I]5-I-A-85380 SPECT was lower in acutely depressed and recovered subjects than in controls, and lower in acutely depressed than recovered subjects. Postmortem prefrontal cortex showed no difference in β2*-nAChR number, suggesting lower in vivo availability may reflect increased endogenous acetylcholine rather than receptor loss.

Key findings

  • Acutely depressed MDD subjects had decreased β2*-nAChR availability versus controls in 9 of 11 regions examined, except hippocampus and amygdala (all adjusted p<0.007); the omnibus model showed a significant group effect (F(3,42)=8.65, p<.0001) and group-by-region interaction (F(30,420)=1.82, p=.006).
  • Recovered MDD subjects had lower β2*-nAChR availability than controls in frontal cortex (adjusted p=0.03), anterior cingulate (adjusted p=0.04), and thalamus (adjusted p=0.008); overall group effect F(1,28)=7.9, p=0.009.
  • Acutely depressed subjects had lower overall β2*-nAChR availability than recovered subjects (F(1,21)=10.0, p=0.005), with no significant group-by-region interaction (F(10,210)=1.34, p=0.21).
  • Postmortem prefrontal cortex showed no differences in β2*-nAChR number between 14 MDD subjects and age-matched controls; in vivo availability correlated positively with lifetime number of depressive episodes in combined MDD subjects for temporal cortex (r=0.46, p=0.049), occipital cortex (r=0.48, p=0.037), and striatum (r=0.49, p=0.034).

Methods

  • Cross-sectional SPECT/MRI study: 23 medication-free, non-smoking subjects with recurrent familial MDD (8 acutely depressed, 15 recovered) and 23 age- and gender-matched non-smoking controls had one [123I]5-I-A-85380 SPECT scan and one MRI; β2*-nAChR availability was quantified as VT/fp.
  • Postmortem study: [125I]5-I-A-85380 binding was analyzed in prefrontal cortex samples from 14 subjects with MDD and age-matched controls.
  • Main analysis used linear mixed models with region as a within-subjects factor, diagnostic group as a between-subjects factor, and group-by-region interaction; post-hoc tests were Bonferroni-corrected for 11 regional comparisons (2-sided alpha=.0045). Clinical correlations, postmortem ANOVA, and voxel-based morphometry (SPM5, p<.05 uncorrected) were also performed.

Limitations

  • The paper states the sample size is relatively small and composed nearly entirely of subjects without a past history of cigarette smoking; only 11 of 46 subjects had a past smoking history, so the relationship between past smoking and β2*-nAChR availability could not be adequately analyzed.
  • The paper states SPECT limitations include absence of a quantifiable reference region and input function, absence of a measurement of non-displaceable binding in MDD patients, poor resolution for small regions such as the amygdala, and the need for a PET study to confirm results; use of current non-smokers limits generalizability.
  • Evident from the text: the postmortem results are described as provided in the supplement, limiting detail in the main paper, and the cross-sectional design cannot establish whether cholinergic changes are a cause or effect of MDD.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.11101546

Cites

49 of 49 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

7 tests recomputed · 0 with the reported and recomputed p on opposite sides of .05

Verification

Claims the paper makes

14 Not checked yet · 10 Own method · 10 Own result · 7 Own interpretation

Verify all 30 references — free account

Show all 19 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 15
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 15
22 of 22
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Postmortem brain samples are free of endogenous acetylcholine, so their β2*-nAChR binding reflects receptor number.

    “β2*-nAChR availability in the postmortem human samples, in the absence of endogenous acetylcholine, would help interpret the precise mechanism of potential changes in binding observed with [123I]5-IA in humans.”
    “under conditions that washed out any endogenous bound ACh”
1 of 1

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Statistics that don’t add up

Each reported p-value recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom.

1 of 1

Statistics recomputed

Every reported test result, recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom. A result shows as not adding up only once an independent check has confirmed it.

  • Doesn’t add upF(3, 42) = 8.65reported p < .0001 · recomputed p < .001

    “F(3,42)=8.65, p < .0001”

  • ConsistentF(30, 420) = 1.82reported p = .006 · recomputed p = .006

    “F(30,420)=1.82, p = .006”

  • ConsistentF(1, 14) = 15.8reported p = .0014 · recomputed p = .001

    “F(1,14)=15.8, p = .0014”

  • ConsistentF(10, 140) = 2.52reported p = .008 · recomputed p = .008

    “F(10,140)=2.52, p = .008”

  • ConsistentF(1, 28) = 7.9reported p = .009 · recomputed p = .009

    “F(1, 28)=7.9, p = .009”

  • ConsistentF(1, 21) = 10reported p = .005 · recomputed p = .005

    “F(1,21)=10.0, p = .005”

  • ConsistentF(10, 210) = 1.34reported p = .21 · recomputed p = .211

    “F(10,210)=1.34, p = .21”

7 of 7

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

2 of 2

Citations

Cites

Show all 49 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Fujita M, 2000, J Nucl Med, 41, 1552
  2. Staley JK, 2005, J Nucl Med, 46, 1466
  3. First MB, 1997, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders—Clinician Version (SCID-CV)
  4. Beck AT, 1996, Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd ed, Manual
  5. Costa PT, 1992, NEO PI-R Professional Manual

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Metadata

Authors
Saricicek, A., Esterlis, I., Maloney, K. H., Mineur, Y. S., Ruf, B. M., Muralidharan, A., Chen, J. I., Cosgrove, K. P., Kerestes, R., Ghose, S., Tamminga, C. A., Pittman, B., Bois, F., Tamagnan, G., Seibyl, J., Picciotto, M. R., Staley, J. K., & Bhagwagar, Z.
Affiliations
  • From the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; the Neuroscience Group, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wallingford, Conn.; the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, New Haven, Conn.; and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
  • Yale University (US)
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2012-08
Volume
169
Issue
8
Pages
851-859
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
OpenAlex
W2012803743
Cited by
118
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 5
FWCI
4.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5k23mh077914-02)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH077681, K23-MH077914, P50MH096890, MH-077914, R01MH077681)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024139)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
Keywords
major depressive disorder, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, beta2 subunit, receptor availability, prefrontal cortex, postmortem brain, endogenous acetylcholine, trauma, anxiety, depressive episodes, recovered depression
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Receptors, Nicotinic, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon, Case-Control Studies, Neuroimaging

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-10-09, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).

A second model labelled each claim on 2026-10-09 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review