[³H]R05-4864 and [³H]flunitrazepam binding in kainate-lesioned rat striatum and in temporal cortex of brains from patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type

In agreement with other workers we report increased [³H]R05-4864 binding in kainate-lesioned rat striatum. [³H]R05-4864 binding, a possible glial marker, was also increased in temporal cortex obtained post-mortem from patients with Alzheimer's disease. [³H]Flunitrazepam binding was decreased in these brain samples, possibly indicative of neuronal cell loss. It is suggested that the poor binding characteristics of [³H]R05-4864 in human brain samples may limit its usefulness in assessing gliosis.