Reduced platelet serotonergic responsivity as assessed by dense granule secretion in first-episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether blunted serotonergic responsivity, indicated by decreased platelet dense granule secretion (DGS), occurs in neuroleptic-naïve patients with schizophrenia, as observed previously in chronic schizophrenia.


METHODS
Serotonin (5-HT)-amplified DGS was examined in 40 first-episode neuroleptic-naïve patients (24 with schizophrenia and 16 with mood disorders) and 24 healthy subjects.


RESULTS
Healthy controls showed robustly increased DGS. Schizophrenic patients showed very modest DGS increases; mood disorder patients showed intermediate response.


CONCLUSIONS
Blunted DGS appears to a characteristic of schizophrenia that is observed in the treatment-naïve condition.
Reddy
Ravinder D
RD
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Keshavan
Matcheri S
MS
Yao
Jeffrey K
JK
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012701:Serotonin