Unaltered alpha(2)-noradrenergic/imidazoline receptors in suicide victims:a postmortem brain autoradiographic analysis

In vitro quantitative autoradiography of alpha(2)-adrenergic/imidazoline re ceptors, using [I-125]iodoclonidine as a ligand, was performed on 24 human brains postmortem. Twelve brains were obtained from suicide victims and 12 from matched controls. We found no significant, region-dependent alteration s in the density of alpha(2)-adrenergic receptors in brains of suicide vict ims as compared to matched controls. We also report age-dependent reduction s in binding in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as well as significa nt recent alcohol ingestion-dependent reductions in binding in the prefront al cortex. Sex and time from death to autopsy did not affect iodoclonidine binding in our sample. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.