Enhanced expression of 5-HT2A receptors in
brains of teenage suicide victims
Although
some modifications in the characteristics of
serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes have been
found in the brains of adult suicide victims, no
indication of their state is known in teenage
suicide victims. Investigators have recently studied
5-HT2A receptor subtypes in the
postmortem brains of teenage suicide
victims.
Prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and nucleus
accumbens of 15 teenage suicide victims in
comparison with 15 control matched subjects were
investigated. The number of
5-HT2A receptors was determined by
radioligand binding, protein levels by use of
Western blotting with a specific antibody, and
mRNA by polymerase chain reaction analysis.
Higher binding in the prefrontal cortex, higher
protein expression and higher mRNA levels
in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus but not
in the nucleus accumbens were observed in the
suicide victims in comparison with control
subjects.
It is interesting to note that the greater levels of
5-HT2A receptors, protein, and
mRNA expression were found in
the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus which are
regions well known to be implicated in emotion,
stress, and cognition. It is suggested that
teenage suicide could be associated with these
neurobiological alterations. Am
J Psychiatry 159: 419-429, 2002