Citation

Marazziti D, Catena M, Baroni S, Masala I, Giannaccini G, Dell'osso L. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 122.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy. (dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it)

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964086

Abstract

In order to clarify the relationships between stress and peripheral benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptors, we investigated BDZ receptors in platelets of subjects who attempted suicide, one of the most stressful situation known to humans. Twenty subjects consecutively admitted after their first suicide attempt were recruited. Primary diagnosis, as assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, was: bipolar disorder (16), unipolar depression (3) and schizoaffective disorder (1). Suicide methods were: drug intake (12) and violent method (8). Control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects who had neither a family nor a personal history of psychiatric disorders and were matched with suicide attempters for age, sex and season of the blood sampling. Platelet membranes 3H-PK 11195 binding was performed according to our slight modification of 1986 Gavish method. Results showed that Bmax (mean+SD, fmol/mg protein) was significantly lower in suicide attempters than in controls (3580+1832 vs. 4855+1621, p<0.01), with no change in the dissociation constant. Although we cannot conclude whether the reduced density of peripheral BDZ receptors represents a primary or secondary phenomenon, changes at this level might have subsequent profound effects on the synthesis of steroid hormones, which might sustain, or alternatively even hamper, the consequences of deranged stress reactions.

Language: en