Serotonin2A Receptors in Schizophrenia: Relation to Suicide

Larulle et al¹ reported no difference in B max (maximum number of ligand-binding sites) for serotonin_2A (5-HT_2A) receptors in the frontal cortex of six schizophrenic patients and six schizoaffective patients compared with 13 normal controls, using tritiated ketanserin as a ligand. There was a trend for B_max to be decreased in both patient groups compared with nine nonpsychotic suicide victims. The psychotic patients included seven suicides and five nonsuicides. According to the abstract in their article, the B_max of the five chronic psychotics who died of natural causes was less than that of the controls, the psychotics dying of suicide, and the nonpsychotic suicide victims. However, no statistical analysis to support this potentially important difference between schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients who suicided and those who did not was provided.

The authors should have cited our data,² published in 1991, of a significant decrease in B