Altered Organization of GABAa Receptor mRNA Expression in the Depressed Suicide Brain

Interrelationships ordinarily exist between mRNA expression of GABAa subunits in the frontopolar cortex of individuals that died suddenly from causes other than suicide. However, these correlations were largely absent in persons who died by suicide. In this study, these findings were extended by examing GABAa receptor expression patterns in the orbital frontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, locus coeruleus, & paraventricular nucleus. Although it is unknown whether GABAa subunit reorganization was specifically tied to depression, suicide, or the accompanying distress, results show the coordinated expression of this transcriptome does vary depending on brain region & is plastic. (54 refs.) JA