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Evidence for activation of microglia in patients with psychiatric illnesses
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn Medical Center, Germany. bayer@uni-bonn.de
Abstract:
Activation of microglia/macrophages is a key event in response to pathological changes in the CNS. HLA-DR is a valuable immunohistochemical marker that specifically reacts with activated microglia cells. In order to elucidate a potential role of microgliosis in severe psychiatric illnesses, post-mortem frontal cortex and hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia (n = 14) and affective disorder (n = 6) and control specimens (n = 13) were studied. Additionally Alzheimer's disease cases (n = 8) were included as a human model system with typical neurodegenerative alterations and microglia activation. All patient groups revealed subjects with abundant microglia immunostaining (schizophrenia, three patients; affective disorder, one patient; Alzheimer's disease, four patients) in both gray and white matter. This finding provides evidence for distinct neuropathological changes in brains of patients with schizophrenia and affective disorder. The activation of microglia cells, which represent a major part of the brain immune response, may help to unravel the pathophysiological processes in severe psychiatric illnesses.
Insights
Microglia activation, indicated by HLA-DR staining, was observed in brains of patients with severe psychiatric illnesses. This suggests microgliosis plays a role in the neuropathology of schizophrenia and affective disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Microglia/macrophages are key responders to central nervous system (CNS) pathology.
- Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR (HLA-DR) is a marker for activated microglia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of microgliosis in severe psychiatric illnesses.
- To examine post-mortem brain tissue from patients with schizophrenia, affective disorder, and Alzheimer's disease.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis using HLA-DR as a marker.
- Studied post-mortem frontal cortex and hippocampus samples.
- Included control specimens and Alzheimer's disease cases for comparison.
Main Results:
- Abundant microglia immunostaining (HLA-DR positive cells) was found in patients with schizophrenia, affective disorder, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Microglia activation was present in both gray and white matter across patient groups.
- Distinct neuropathological changes, including microgliosis, were evident in psychiatric illness brains.
Conclusions:
- Microgliosis is present in severe psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia and affective disorder.
- Activated microglia, as part of the brain's immune response, may be crucial in understanding psychiatric disorder pathophysiology.
- These findings support distinct neuropathological changes in severe mental illnesses.