Abstract
Serotonin receptors of the 5-HT2 type were studied on platelet membranes from 15 patients suffering from major depression. Receptor binding and clinical state (assessed by the Hamilton and Beck rating scales) were examined in a drug free state upon admission and after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment with the antidepressant maprotiline (MPT). 5-HT2 receptor binding changed in correlation with changes in the clinical state of the patients as judged by the rating scales. Since most patients showed a clinical improvement, the patients as a group exhibited a significant decrease in binding concomitant with a drop in depression scores. However, in those patients in whom there was no clinical change or an increase in depression scores, 5-HT2 receptor binding did not change or increased, respectively, thus resulting in a significant correlation between clinical changes and changes in binding. These results support the use of 5-HT2 receptors on platelets in evaluating depression and its treatment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association Committee on Nomenclature and Statistics (1980) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 3rd edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC
Arora PC, Melzer HY (1989) Increased serotonin (5-HT2) receptor binding as measured by3H-LSD in the blood platelets of depressed patients. Life Sci 44:725–734
Asberg M, Traskman L, Thoren P, Bertilsson L, Ringberger VA (1976) Serotonin depression — a biochemical subgroup within the affective disorders? Science 191:478–480
Bergstrom DA, Kellar KJ (1979) Adrenergic and serotonergic receptor binding in rat brain after chronic desmethylimipramine treatment. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 209:256–261
Bergstrom DA, Kellar KJ (1983) Effect of electroconvulsive shock on monoaminergic receptor binding sites in rat brain. Nature 278:464–466
Biegon A, Rainbow TC, McEwen BS (1982) Quantitative autoradiography of serotonin receptors in the rat brain. Brain Res 242:197–204
Biegon B, Kargman S, Snyder L, McEwen BS (1986) Characterization and localization of serotonin receptors in human brain postmortem. Brain Res 363:91–98
Biegon A, Weizman A, Karp L, Ram A, Tiano S, Wolff M (1987) Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets—a peripheral marker for depression? Life Sci 41:2485–2492
Biegon A, Grinspoon A, Blumenfelt B, Bleich A, Apter A, Mester R (1990) Increased serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets of suicidal men. Psychopharmacology 100:165–167
Geaney DP, Schachter MJ, Elliot M et al. (1984) Characterization of [3H]lysergic acid diethylamide binding to a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor on human platelet membranes. Eur J Pharmacol 97:87–93
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
MacBride PA, Mann JJ, McEwen B, Biegon A (1983) Characterization of serotonin binding sites on human platelets. Life Sci 33:2033–2041
McKeith IG, Marshall EF, Fernier IN et al. (1987) SHT receptor binding in post-mortem brain from patients with affective disorder. J Affective Disord 13:67–74
Owen F, Cross AJ, Crow TJ et al. (1983) Brain 5-HT2 receptors and suicide. Lancet II:1256
Pazos A, Cortes R, Palacios JM (1985) Quantitative autoradiographic mapping of serotonin receptors in the rat brain. II. Serotonin-2 receptors. Brain Res 346:231–249
Peroutka SJ, Lebowitz RM, Snyder SH (1981) Two distinct central serotonin receptors with different physiological functions. Science 212:827–829
Pinder RM (1977) Maprotiline: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in mental depressive states. Drugs 13:321
Pucilowski O, Kostowsky J (1980) Aggressive behavior and the central serotonergic system. Behav Brain Res 9:33–48
Stanley MM, Mann JJ (1983) Increased serotonin-2 binding sites in frontal cortex of suicide victims. Lancet I:214–216
Van Praag HW, Korf J (1971) Endogenous depression with and without disturbances in the 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism: a biochemical classification? Psychopharmacologia 19:148–152
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Biegon, A., Essar, N., Israeli, M. et al. Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding on blood platelets as a state dependent marker in major affective disorder. Psychopharmacology 102, 73–75 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245747
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245747