High-affinity [3H]imipramine binding in rat hypothalamus: association with uptake of serotonin but not of norepinephrine.

Inhibition of the binding of [3H]imipramine and inhibition of the uptake of [3H]serotonin and [3H]norepinephrine by a series of antidepressants and other drugs were studied in the rat hypothalamus. No correlation was found between the potencies of these drugs for the inhibition of [3H]imipramine binding and the inhibition of [3H]norepinephrine uptake. There was, however, a highly significant correlation between the potencies of these drugs for the inhibition of [3H]serotonin uptake. These results suggest that high-affinity [3H]imipramine binding might be associated with the mechanism of serotonin uptake in the brain.