[H-3] PAROXETINE BINDING IS ALTERED IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS BUT NOT THE FRONTAL-CORTEX OR CAUDATE-NUCLEUS FROM SUBJECTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

[H-3]Paroxetine binding to particulate membrane from tissue, obtained at autopsy, from the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and caudate nucleus from subjects who had or had not had schizophrenia was measured. The d ensity of [H-3]paroxetine binding to membranes from subjects who had o r had not had schizophrenia did not differ. Similarly, the affinity of [H-3]paroxetine binding in the frontal cortex and caudate nucleus was not different. By contrast, the affinity of [H-3]paroxetine binding t o hippocampal membrane from subjects who had schizophrenia was signifi cantly lower than the affinity of binding for the nonschizophrenic sub jects (0.40 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.26 +/- 0.02; p < 0.05). As [H-3]paroxetine binds to the serotonin transporter, these data suggest that the seroto nin transporter is altered in the hippocampus in subjects with schizop hrenia.