Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1989-3-23
pubmed:abstractText
We have investigated the involvement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in depression by quantitating benzodiazepine (BZ) binding sites, the ability of GABA to stimulate BZ binding and glutamic acid decarboxylase activity in frontal and temporal cortex obtained at postmortem examination from 21 suicide victims and 21 age- and sex-matched controls. We limited our study to suicide victims with clear evidence of depression, in the absence of symptoms of other psychiatric disorders. Thirteen of the depressed suicide victims had not been prescribed psychoactive drugs recently and none were found in their blood at postmortem; of the remaining 8 suicides, 6 were receiving antidepressant drugs, alone or in combination with other drugs. The number of BZ binding sites was significantly greater (by 18%) in the frontal cortex of the total group of depressed suicides compared to controls, but did not differ in the temporal cortex. The increase in the number of BZ binding sites in the frontal cortex was of similar magnitude when drug-free (16%), drug-treated (21%) and antidepressant-treated suicides (16%) were compared to matched controls, although the increase was only statistically significant for the drug-treated suicides. The Kd of BZ binding and the ability of GABA to stimulate BZ binding did not differ significantly between controls and the total, drug-free, drug-treated or antidepressant-treated suicides in either cortical area. Glutamic acid decarboxylase activity did not differ significantly between control and suicide groups, but was markedly reduced in subjects dying by carbon monoxide poisoning. The present study provides evidence for a greater number of BZ binding sites in the frontal cortex of depressed suicide victims, which could not clearly be attributed to drug treatment.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0006-8993
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
13
pubmed:volume
460
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
114-23
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-9-29
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1988
pubmed:articleTitle
Brain GABAA/benzodiazepine binding sites and glutamic acid decarboxylase activity in depressed suicide victims.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't