Brain 5-HT₂ receptors in suicide victims: violence of death, depression and effects of antidepressant treatment

Abstract

5-HT₂ binding sites were quantitated, by saturation binding with [³H]ketanserin, in six brain regions from 73 subjects who died by suicide and 70 sudden death controls. There were no significant differences in the number of 5-HT₂ binding sites between suicides and controls in any brain region within the total suicide group or when suicides were divided on the basis of violence of death. Similar results were found when suicides were divided into those with a firm retrospective diagnosis of depression, whether they had been receiving antidepressants or not, and those who were heterogeneous in respect of psychiatric diagnosis and drug treatment. The present findings contrast with previous reports of higher cortical 5-HT₂ binding sites in suicides; possible reasons for these differences are discussed.