Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid-B (GABAB) Binding Sites in Postmortem Suicide Brains

This article reports on a study of 20 control subjects & a group of 16 suicides subdivided by method of suicide & existence of depressive symptoms prior to death. No significant differences in GABAB binding were found between overall suicide & control groups or between the control group & subgroups. A significant increase in binding was observed in those who had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. It is concluded that a presynaptic dysfunction might account for this increase. (23 refs.)