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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

The Forced Swim Test as a Model of Depressive-like Behavior
Published on: March 2, 2015
Disturbance of serotonin 5HT2 receptors in remitted patients suffering from hereditary depressive disorder
R Larisch1, A Klimke, F Mayoral
1Kliniken für Nuklearmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Deutschland. Rolf.Larisch@uni-duesseldorf.de
Aim:
The characteristics of 5HT2 receptor binding were investigated in major depression in vivo using positron emission tomography and the radioligand F-18-altanserin.
Methods:
Twelve patients from families with high loading of depression living in a geographically restricted region were examined and compared with normal control subjects. At the time of the PET measurement all patients were remitted; in some of them remission was sustained by antidepressive medication. Binding potential was assessed by Logan's graphical analysis method.
Results:
The binding of F-18-altanserin was about 38% lower in patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.001). A multiple regression analysis revealed that this difference was mainly induced by depression rather than by medication.
Conclusions:
The data suggest that 5HT2 receptors are altered in depression. We present evidence for a reduction of the receptor density, which might be usable as trait marker of subjects susceptible for depressive illness.
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