Reduced Corticotropin Releasing Factor Binding Sites in the Frontal Cortex of Suicide Victims

Other studies have suggested that corticotropin releasing factor is hypersecreted in patients with major depression. If so, fewer CRF receptor binding sites should be present in such patients. The authors measured the number & affinity of CRF binding sites in the frontal cortex of 26 suicide victims & 29 controls who died of other causes. There were 23% fewer CRF binding sites in the frontal cortex of the suicide victims compared to the controls, supporting this hypothesis. (36 refs)