Increased low-affinity 3H-spiroperidol binding to rat cortical membranes after chronic antidepressant treatments.

Looking for receptor correlates of increased motor response to dopaminergic stimulation in rats after antidepressant treatments, we measured specific 3H-spiroperidol binding to membranes from various brain ureas in rats receiving chronically electroconvulsive shock (ECS), imipramine or trazodone. In all groups the low-affinity 3H-spiroperidol binding (KD approximately 3 nM) was increased in the cortex, but not in the subcortical areas.