Hippocampal benzodiazepine receptors in schizophrenia.

Benzodiazepine receptor sites were determined by saturable [3H]flunitrazepam binding in hippocampal tissue from schizophrenic and control subjects. No difference in receptor density or affinity between the two groups was observed, indicating that the previously identified GABAergic deficit in the hippocampus in schizophrenia does not apparently lead to up-regulation of these receptor sites. The implications of this finding are discussed.