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Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
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Astrocyte decrease in the subgenual cingulate and callosal genu in schizophrenia.

Matthew Roy Williams1, Thomas Hampton, Ronald K B Pearce

  • 1Neuropathology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, UK. Matthew.r.williams@imperial.ac.uk

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
|June 5, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Schizophrenia is linked to lower astrocyte density in key brain regions, unlike bipolar disorder or depression. This glial cell change may be specific to schizophrenia, impacting the oligodendrocyte-to-astrocyte ratio.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Glial Cell Biology
  • Psychiatric Disorders

Background:

  • Glial cell density and GFAP mRNA reductions are noted in anterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
  • Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes are crucial glial cells supporting neuronal function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate astrocyte and oligodendrocyte density in the subgenual cingulate cortex and corpus callosum in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and controls.
  • To determine if glial cell density changes are specific to certain psychiatric disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Tissue samples from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and control cases were analyzed.
  • Immunohistochemistry (GFAP for astrocytes) and staining (cresyl haematoxylin for oligodendrocytes) were employed.
  • Systematic random counting methods were used to measure glial cell densities.

Main Results:

  • A significant decrease in astrocyte density was found in schizophrenia patients across cingulate grey matter, cingulate white matter, and the corpus callosum.
  • No significant changes in astrocyte density were observed in bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder.
  • Oligodendrocyte density remained unchanged across all diagnostic groups; however, the oligodendrocyte-to-astrocyte ratio was decreased in all disease groups compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced astrocyte density is a specific finding in schizophrenia within the studied brain regions.
  • The observed decrease in the oligodendrocyte-to-astrocyte ratio in schizophrenia suggests a specific glial cell type alteration in this disorder.