Platelet serotonergic binding sites in alcohol-dependent patients.
The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) uptake sites assessed with both [3H]imipramine and [3H]paroxetine, and the 5-HT2A receptors were simultaneously measured in platelets from 24 male subjects meeting the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence and admitted for inpatient detoxification. Blood samples from alcoholic patients were collected during acute alcohol intoxication (day 0), during withdrawal (day 1), and after 2 weeks of abstinence (day 14). All patients met the criteria for type II alcoholism. Alcohol misuse was found to be associated with an increased number and a lower affinity of [3H]paroxetine binding in comparison to the control values. Abstinence from alcohol for 2 weeks (day 14) resulted in a decrease in the number of 5-HT uptake sites labelled with [3H]paroxetine compared to normal values, together with a significant decrease in the number of 5-HT2A binding sites. The present data indicate that altered serotonergic function existing in alcoholic patients is a reversible phenomenon that normalizes after detoxification and withdrawal.
Arranz
B
B
Benito Menni, Mental Health Care Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
Rosel
P
P
Sarró
S
S
Zaldivar
E
E
Cano
R
R
Navarro
M A
MA
San
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010976:Platelet Count; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013695:Temperance
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007099:Imipramine; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017374:Paroxetine; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human