title: Decreased density of the platelet serotonin transporter in pathological gamblers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the serotonin transporter (SERT), by means of the 3H-paroxetine ([3H]-Par) binding to platelet membranes, in patients affected by pathological gambling (PG), as compared with a similar group of healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen PG patients were selected amongst those who were drug-free and at the first psychiatric interview in a Department of Addiction. The diagnosis was assessed according to DSM-IV criteria and PG severity was measured by means of the South Oaks Gambling Screen. The platelet [3H]-Par binding was carried out according to a standardized method. The binding parameters, the maximum binding capacity (B(max)) and the dissociation constant (K(d)), were obtained by means of the Scatchard analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The B(max) values of PG patients were significantly lower than that of healthy subjects, while the K(d) values were not different in the two groups. No significant effect of age, sex or psychiatric comorbidity on B(max) or K(d) was observed; there were also no correlations between clinical and biological variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PG patients showed a dysfunction at the level of the platelet SERT that would suggest the involvement of the 5-HT system in this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Golia
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picchetti
authors.forename: Ellena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pioli
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mannari
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conversano
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carmassi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catena Dell'Osso
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Consoli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannaccini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanda
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001665:Binding Sites; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D017374:Paroxetine; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors