INCREASED DENSITY OF GLUTAMATE N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE RECEPTORS IN PUTAMEN FROM SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS/

Saturable radioligand binding of [H-3]L-689,560 to the glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor complex was employ ed to determine the density of this receptor in putamen, caudate and n ucleus accumbens taken post mortem from schizophrenic patients and mat ched controls. Receptor density was found to be significantly increase d in putamen of schizophrenics (P = 0.012), although no significant ch ange was found in the other two areas studied. Further experiments fol lowing 21 days administration of haloperidol to rats provided no evide nce that the increase was related to prior drug treatment. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd.