title: Altered platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor binding sites in borderline personality disorder.
abstract: The authors found significantly fewer total platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor binding sites in 13 nonmedicated patients with borderline personality disorder than in 11 patients with borderline personality disorder who were receiving low doses of benzodiazepines and 18 nonpsychiatric control subjects. The two patient groups showed comparable degrees of depression as assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. However, nonmedicated borderline patients were considerably more anxious than medicated patients, raising the possibility that lower alpha 2-adrenergic receptor binding in borderline personality disorder is related to anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Unit, West Haven VA Medical Center, Conn.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Southwick
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yehuda
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Giller
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D015016:Yohimbine