Showing papers by "James C. Ballenger published in 1981"

Depressed Patients Have Decreased Binding of Tritiated Imipramine to Platelet Serotonin 'Transporter'

Abstract: The high-affinity tritiated (3H) imipramine binding sites are functionally (and perhaps structurally) associated with the presynaptic neuronal and platelet uptake sites for serotonin. Since there is an excellent correlation between the relative potencies of a series of antidepressants in displacing 3H-imipramine from binding sites in human brain and platelet, we have examined the binding of 3H-imipramine to platelets from 14 depressed patients and 28 age- and sex-matched controls. A highly significant decrease in the number of 3H-imipramine binding sites, with no significant change in the apparent affinity constants, was observed in platelets from the depressed patients compared with the controls. These results, coupled with previous studies showing a significant decrease in the maximal uptake of serotonin in platelets from depressed patients, suggest that an inherited or acquired deficiency of the serotonin transport protein or proteins may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression.

Slow and rapid onset of manic episodes: implications for underlying biology.

Abstract: The authors describe affectively ill patients with two different patterns of manic onset observed during medication-free periods. One group of patients had rapid onsets in which the full severity of mania was achieved largely by day 1 of a manic episode; a second group had slower onsets, gradually reaching maximal severity of mania later in an episode. Compared to gradual onset patients, those with the rapid onset manic pattern were ill significantly longer, had a greater number of previous depressive episodes, and had more manic and depressive episodes in the year before hospital admission. The clinical and theoretical implications of these data suggesting that patients with a more rapidly cycling and progressive course have an altered pattern of manic onsets are discussed.