BINDING OF [H-3] PAROXETINE TO PLATELETS OF DEPRESSED-PATIENTS - SEASONAL DIFFERENCES AND EFFECTS OF DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION

[H-3]Paroxetine is a more reliable ligand for studying the serotonin ( 5-HT) transporter complex than [H-3]imipramine. The present study inve stigates [H-3]paroxetine binding to platelets in 54 depressed in-patie nts (18 minor, 16 simple major and 20 melancholic depressed patients) and 16 healthy controls. There were no significant differences in maxi mal number of binding sites between depressed subjects and normal cont rols. There was no correlation between [H-3]paroxetine binding to plat elet membranes and severity of depression. [H-3]Paroxetine binding to platelets was significantly higher in spring than in summer, fall and winter.