Platelet 3H-rauwolscine binding in patients with panic attacks.

Platelet alpha 2 binding was measured in 14 patients with panic attacks and 21 controls using the antagonist 3H-rauwolscine as radioligand. The mean (+/- SD) Bmax values of patients (116 +/- 45 fmoles/mg protein) and controls (106 +/- 32 fmoles/mg protein) was not significantly different (p greater than 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). There was a nonsignificant trend for the Kd of patients (1.25 +/- 0.67 nM) to be higher than that of controls (0.96 +/- 0.32 nM). The results do not support an adrenergic abnormality in panic patients.