Common Alterations in the Serotonin Transporter in Platelets and Lymphocytes of Psychotic Patients

Introduction: Given the controversial data concerning the role of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter in psychosis, our study was aimed to investigate this structure by means of the measurements of the re-uptake kinetics and of the protein density, in both platelets and lymphocytes of 25 out- and inpatients with different psychotic disorders. Methods: Diagnoses, according to DSM-IV criteria, were bipolar 1 disorders with mood incongruent psychotic features (14), mixed states (7) and schizophrenia (4). Twenty-five matched healthy subjects were also selected as the control group. Platelet and lymphocyte membranes were prepared according to standardized protocols, as were the [³H]5HT re-uptake and [³H]paroxetine ([³H]Par) binding. Results: The results of this study showed a decreased density of the [³H]Par binding sites coupled with a reduced velocity of [³H]5-HT re-uptake in both platelets and lymphocytes of psychotic patients, as compared with healthy control subjects. Conclusion: These findings would suggest a general abnormality of the 5-HT system in psychotic patients, probably not confined only to the brain.

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