Inter-individual variability of neurotransmitter receptor and transporter density in the human brain
Neurotransmitter receptors guide the propagation of signals between brain regions. Mapping receptor distributions in the brain is therefore necessary for understanding how neurotransmitter systems mediate the link between brain structure and function. Normative receptor density can be estimated using group averages from Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. However, the generalizability and reliability of group-average receptor maps depends on the inter-individual variability of receptor density, which is currently unknown. Here we collect group standard deviation brain maps of PET-estimated protein abundance for 12 different neurotransmitter receptors and transporters across 7 neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, glutamate, GABA, cannabinoid, and opioid. We illustrate how cortical and subcortical inter-individual variability of receptor and transporter density varies across brain regions and across neurotransmitter systems. We complement inter-individual variability with inter-regional variability, and show that receptors that vary more across brain regions than across individuals also demonstrate greater out-of-sample spatial consistency. Altogether, this work quantifies how receptor systems vary in healthy individuals, and provides a means of assessing the generalizability of PET-derived receptor density quantification.
Authors
- J. Hietala
- Eliane Kobayashi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1713-1563)
- Justine Y. Hansen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3142-7480)
- Gitte M. Knudsen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1508-6866)
- Thomas Funck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3646-490X)
- Alexander Hammers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9530-4848)
- Vincent Beliveau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7805-279X)
- Lauri Tuominen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8726-0467)
- Jarkko Johansson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4501-4735)
- Marian Galovic (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2307-071X)
- Synthia Guimond (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1582-725X)
- Martin Nørgaard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2131-5688)
- Zeyu Chang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8127-0837)
- Marsden Pd
- Melanie Ganz
- Marco Leyton
- Bratislav Misic
- Sylvia M. L. Cox
- Lauri Nummenmaa
- Colm J. McGinnity
- Gleb Bezgin
- Jouni Tuisku
Institutions
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (CA)
- Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- University of Turku (FI)
- Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
- King's College London (GB)
- Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (CA)
- Turku University Hospital (FI)
- Copenhagen University Hospital (DK)
- Rigshospitalet (DK)
- Université du Québec en Outaouais (CA)
- Düsseldorf University Hospital (DE)
- Southwestern Medical Center (US)
- University Hospital of Zurich (CH)
- Child Mind Institute (US)
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie Biomédicale (FR)
- Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (CA)
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (GB)
- National Institute of Mental Health (US)
- National Institute of Mental Health (CZ)
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
- University College London (GB)
- McGill University (CA)
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
- Umeå University (SE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Brain Structure and Function
- Published
- 2026-01-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-025-03069-2
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 69.62
Funders
- Fondation Brain Canada
- European Commission
- Canada Research Chairs
- HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada