title: Tritiated etorphine and naloxone binding to opioid receptors in caudate nucleus in schizophrenia.
abstract: Opioid receptor binding sites were assessed in membrane preparations of caudate nucleus from post-mortem brains of controls and of patients with schizophrenia. There was no difference between the two groups in the total specific binding of 3H-etorphine or in its 'mu' and ('delta + kappa') components. Similarly, the binding of 3H-naloxone did not differ between patients and controls. It is concluded that a previous report of reduced opioid receptors in caudate of schizophrenics is unlikely to prove a consistent finding and that the results of the present study offer no support to the claim that there is a general disturbance in opiate mechanisms in schizophrenia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poulter
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kosterlitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005048:Etorphine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009019:Morphinans / Q000378:metabolism*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism*; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D009019:Morphinans; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D014316:Tritium; D009270:Naloxone; D005048:Etorphine