LATERALITY AND H-3 IMIPRAMINE BINDING - STUDIES IN THE FRONTAL-CORTEX OF NORMAL CONTROLS AND SUICIDE VICTIMS

Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)]-sensitive imipramine binding (IB) was determined in the left and right hemisphere of frontal cortex of suicide victims and nonpsychiatric controls who died due to myocardial infarction or accident. The K(d) (an inverse measure of affinity of H-3-imipramine to its binding sites) was significantly higher in left hemisphere than right hemisphere in normal controls. There were no differences in B(max) and K(d) or B(max) between left hemisphere and right hemisphere in normals and suicides, respectively. These results do not support the finding of hemispheric asymmetry of 5-HT uptake as measured by IB (B(max)) in postmortem tissue from controls and suicide victims.