Corticotropin-releasing factor binding sites in cortex of depressed suicides.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors were measured by saturation binding in frontal and motor cortex of suicides with a firm retrospective diagnosis of depression, and matched controls. The suicides were divided into those who were free of antidepressant drugs, and those in whom prescription of antidepressant drugs was clearly documented. There were no differences in the number or affinity of CRF receptors between antidepressant-free or antidepressant-treated suicides and matched controls in either brain region. When suicides were divided according to violence of death, again there were no differences between violent or non-violent suicides and controls.