[3H]paroxetine binding to platelets of patients with social phobia : comparison to patients with panic disorder and healthy volunteers

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 224 - 228
• Main Authors: STEIN, M. B, DELANEY, S. M, CHARTIER, M. J, KROFT, C. D. L, HAZEN, A. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Science 15.02.1995
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - metabolism; Carrier Proteins - blood; Female; Humans; Kinetics; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Glycoproteins - blood; Membrane Transport Proteins; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Panic Disorder - blood; Paroxetine - blood; Phobia; Phobic Disorders - blood; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Radioligand Assay; Reference Values; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Human; Platelet; Pathophysiology; Serotonin; Social phobia; Anxiety disorder; Neurotransmitter; Binding site; Carrier protein
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/0006-3223(94)00149-W

Recent studies suggest that serotonergic functioning may be aberrant in patients with social phobia. Capacity of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter, as determined by 3H-paroxetine binding, was measured in 18 drug-free patients with generalized social phobia and compared to 15 drug-free patients with panic disorder and 23 healthy control subjects. The density (Bmax) and affinity (1/Kd) of 3H-paroxetine binding sites was similar in all three groups. To the extent that the serotonin transporter in platelets and neurons is comparable, these findings suggest that this aspect of serotonergic function is normal in patients with social phobia.