SIMILAR EFFECTS OF GLYCINE, ZINC AND AN OXIDIZING-AGENT ON [H-3] DIZOCILPINE BINDING TO THE N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE RECEPTOR IN NEOCORTICAL TISSUE FROM SUICIDE VICTIMS AND CONTROLS

This study used H-3dizocilpine (MK-801) binding to the N-methyl-D-as partate (NMDA) receptor to examine glycine, redox and zinc modulatory sites in membranes derived from the frontal and parietal cortex of con trol subjects (n = 8) and suicide victims (n = 6). H-3dizocilpine bi nding in the presence of glutamate and glutamate plus glycine was simi lar in control and suicide subjects. The sulphydryl redox site was ass essed using the oxidizing agent 5,5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid), which inhibited binding in a dose-dependent fashion. Both redox and z inc sites were unaffected in the frontal and parietal cortex of suicid e victims. These data indicate that the NMDA receptor and its glycine, redox and zinc subsites are preserved in the neocortex of suicide vic tims.