title: Brain beta-adrenoceptor binding sites in antidepressant-free depressed suicide victims.
abstract: beta-Adrenoceptor binding sites were quantitated by saturation binding of [3H]CGP 12177 in 9 brain regions from 21 suicide victims, with a firm retrospective diagnosis of depression, who had not recently received antidepressant drugs, and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. In depressed suicides the number of total beta-adrenoceptors was significantly lower in temporal cortex (Brodmann area 38, by 19%) and beta 1-adrenoceptors (Brodmann area 21/22, by 17%) compared to controls. Suicides who died by violent means had significantly lower numbers of total beta- and beta 1-adrenoceptors in frontal cortex than matched controls (by 23 and 25%, respectively) and than non-violent suicides (by 20 and 22%, respectively) and lower numbers of beta 1-adrenoceptors in temporal cortex (Brodmann area 21/22) than matched controls (by 16%). Depressed suicides who died by non-violent means had lower numbers of total beta-adrenoceptors in occipital cortex than matched controls (by 24%) and than violent suicides (by 18%), and lower numbers of total beta- and beta 1-adrenoceptors in temporal cortex (Brodmann area 38) than matched controls (by 27 and 24%, respectively). Depression in suicide victims is associated with deficits in beta-adrenoceptor binding sites, largely restricted to cortical areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Paermentier
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cheetham
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Katona
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Horton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta