Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: findings from studies of the Stanley Foundation Brain Collection

The Stanley Foundation Brain Collection contains a matched set of specimens from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, non-psychotic depression and normal controls. Specimens have been shipped to investigators in more than 50 laboratories around the world. To date, results obtained from studies with this collection indicate that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may both be characterized by abnormalities in frontal cortical interneurons, although different subpopulations of these neurons may be specifically affected in the two disorders. In samples from patients with familial bipolar disorder and major depression, there are alterations in glial density in cingulate cortex. Specific effects of antidepressant drugs on the transcription factor cAMP regulatory element binding protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor have also been observed.