Marked reduction in the number of platelet-tritiated imipramine binding sites in geriatric depression.
Published
Journal Article
The number (Bmax) and affinity (Kd) of platelet-tritiated imipramine binding sites was determined in young and middle-aged controls 50 years of age and younger (n = 25), elderly normal controls over 60 years of age (n = 18), patients who fulfilled DSM-III criteria for major depression who were under 50 years of age (n = 29), patients who fulfilled DSM-III criteria for major depression who were 60 years of age and older (n = 19), and patients who fulfilled both DSM-III criteria for primary degenerative dementia and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease (n = 13). Both groups of depressed patients (under 50 and over 60 years of age) exhibited significant reductions (decreases 42%) in the number of platelet-tritiated imipramine binding sites with no change in affinity, when compared with their age-matched controls. There was little overlap in Bmax values between the elderly depressed patients and their controls. The patients with probable Alzheimer's disease showed no alteration in platelet-tritiated imipramine binding. There was no statistically significant relationship between postdexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations and tritiated imipramine binding. These results indicate that platelet-tritiated imipramine binding may have potential utility as a diagnostic adjunct in geriatric depression, and moreover that the reduction in the number of platelet-tritiated imipramine binding sites is not due to hypercortisolemia.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Nemeroff, CB; Knight, DL; Krishnan, RR; Slotkin, TA; Bissette, G; Melville, ML; Blazer, DG
Published Date
- October 1988
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 45 / 10
Start / End Page
- 919 - 923
PubMed ID
- 2844132
Pubmed Central ID
- 2844132
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0003-990X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800340045006
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States