The platelet intracellular calcium response to serotonin and thrombin in patients with panic disorder

Serotonin is implicated in both the biology of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to examine the platelet intracellular calcium response to serotonin and thrombin using spectrofluorometry in 14 patients with DSM-4 panic disorder compared to 14 matched controls. Patients did not show significantly higher baseline platelet intracellular calcium levels and serotonin stimulated levels of intracellular calcium than control subjects. There was a much smaller standard deviation in the control subjects than in the panic patients. The intracellular calcium response to thrombin activation was however greater in panic patients than in control subjects (P<0.001). The failure of this study to find enhanced sensitivity of 5-HT2 receptors in panic disorder is compatible with the findings of previous challenge studies that found no consistent dysregulation of serotonin in panic disorder. The enhanced thrombin sensitivity, nevertheless suggests some receptor mediated second messenger changes independent of serotonin in the disorder.