Aggressive behaviour and platelet 3H-paroxetine binding in schizophrenia

Abstract

Forty schizophrenic patients were included in a study of the relationship between serotonin function as measured by 3H-paroxetine binding to platelet membranes and aggressive behaviour. Patients classified as either aggressive or non-aggressive were paired by age, sex and duration of illness. 3H-Paroxetine binding variations were avoided by taking samples for each pair between 09:00 and 11:00 h, within 4 days of each other, and by assaying pairs of samples together. The mean K(d) for the aggressive group was 0.193 ± 0.126 nM and the mean K(d) for the non-aggressive group was 0.176 ± 0.164 nM. The mean B(max) for the aggressive group was 1451 ± 386 fmol/mg protein while the mean for the non-a..