Tritiated LSD Binding in Frontal Cortex in Schizophrenia
Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1981 Patricia M. Whitaker 126 citations
Earlier reports suggested that LSD binding to serotonin receptors in the frontal cortex is reduced in schizophrenia, indicating fewer receptors. However, this analysis of 13 schizophrenic brains compared to 8 control brains found no overall decrease in binding. Residual neuroleptic drugs in brain tissue, which are difficult to wash out, may have caused the earlier findings; chlorpromazine-treated rats showed reduced binding affinity consistent with this. In five patients likely neuroleptic-free for the year before death, LSD binding was significantly increased, though this requires replication in larger samples.