High affinity [³H] imipramine binding and serotonin uptake to platelets of adolescent females suffering from anorexia nervosa

High affinity [³H] imipramine binding and [³H] serotonin uptake to platelets were investigated in 17 anorexic females aged 15-18 years as compared to 15 healthy females of similar ages. A significant decrease in the density of [³H] imipramine binding sites was observed in anorexics as compared to controls (368 ± 40 vs 517 ± 38 fmoles/mg protein, p < 0.01). No alteration in Kd values or in the kinetic parameters of serotonin uptake (Vmax, Km) were noted. The fact that the decrease in imipramine binding is not accompanied by a parallel reduction in serotonin uptake might indicate that anorexia nervosa is not ultimately related to major depression and that the imipramine binding site is not identical to the serotonin uptake site.