title: Serotonin uptake by blood platelets of schizophrenic patients.
abstract: Active uptake of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) by blood platelets of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients was compared with that of normal controls. Unlike previous reports, no significant difference in the kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of 5-HT uptake between schizophrenic patients and normal controls was observed, although a trend toward decreased Vmax in the acute schizophrenics was present. Since decreased Vmax of platelet 5-HT uptake has been found in patients with bipolar, unipolar, and schizoaffective depression, further study of the usefulness of platelet 5-HT uptake as a biological marker for major depressive illness is indicated. Abnormalities of 5-HT uptake do not appear to contribute significantly to the increased platelet 5-HT levels which have been reported in schizophrenic patients.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin