[3H]R05-4864 and [3H]flunitrazepam binding in kainate-lesioned rat striatum and in temporal cortex of brains from patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.

In agreement with other workers we report increased [3H]R05-4864 binding in kainate-lesioned rat striatum. [3H]R05-4864 binding, a possible glial marker, was also increased in temporal cortex obtained post-mortem from patients with Alzheimer's disease. [3H]Flunitrazepam binding was decreased in these brain samples, possibly indicative of neuronal cell loss. It is suggested that the poor binding characteristics of [3H]R05-4864 in human brain samples may limit its usefulness in assessing gliosis.