The Correlation Between Mid-Brain Serotonin Transporter Availability and Intelligence Quotient in Healthy Volunteers

Abstract Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the association between the mid-brain serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and intelligence quotient (IQ). Methods: One hundred and thirteen healthy participants, including 52 male and 61 female subjects, were recruited. We used SPECT with [ 123 I]ADAM images to determine the SERT availability in the mid-brain, and measured the subjects’ IQ using the WAIS-R. Results: We found a significant positive correlation between the mid-brain SERT availability and the IQ of the participants. Even when controlling for age and sex, the significant association still existed. Conclusion: This result implied that the higher the SERT binding in the mid-brain, the better the IQ in healthy participants.