Abnormal glucocorticoid dependent increase of spiperone binding sites on lymphocytes from schizophrenics in vitro.

The attempt was made to revise experimentally the concept of spiperone binding to human peripheral lymphocytes as a peripheral marker for schizophrenic disorder. Although it was not possible to detect differences in spiperone binding in freshly isolated lymphocytes from schizophrenics and controls, a significant increase in spiperone binding became apparent when the lymphocytes from patients were cultured in vitro in the presence of physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids