Lack of specificity of reduced platelet imipramine binding in different psychiatric conditions

Abstract

We compared 3H-imipramine binding in 10 major depressives with that in 29 healthy volunteers, 13 patients with panic disorder, 9 patients with bulimia, 9 suicide attempters, and 6 schizophrenic patients. None of the comparison groups had histories of major mood disorders, except the suicide attempters. We found a significant reduction of the maximum binding capacity ( B max) in all groups of patients as compared with healthy controls. These data cast doubt upon the specificity of the decrease of platelet 3H-imipramine binding in major depression, but suggest a possible pharmacological common denominator involving the serotonin system.