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Enhanced binding of [ 3 H] (‐) adrenaline to platelets of depressed patients with melancholia: Effect of long‐term clomipramine treatment
Author(s) -
GarciaSevilla J.A.,
Udina C.,
Fuster M.J.,
Alvarez E.,
Casas M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02767.x
Subject(s) - clomipramine , melancholia , endocrinology , medicine , platelet , antidepressant , agonist , radioligand , desensitization (medicine) , psychology , receptor , chemistry , hippocampus , dexamethasone
— The specific binding of the full agonist [ 3 H] (‐) adrenaline to platelet membranes was measured in 14 drug‐free depressed patients with melancholia. There was an increased number of binding sites (B max ) with the same apparent affinity (K D ) for the radioligand, indicating that platelet α 2 ‐adrenoceptor density in the high affinity state was increased in depressed patients. Long‐term administration of clomipramine was associated with decreases in platelet α 2 ‐adrenoceptor densities which correlated with the duration of treatment. The results support the hypothesis that in endogenous depression there is a dysfunction of the α 2 ‐adrenoceptor and that antidepressant treatment might involve a time‐dependent desensitization process of this receptor.