[Electron-cytochemical characteristics of hyperchromic neurons in schizophrenia]

During autopsy of brains from 17 schizophrenic patients and 14 mentally normal subjects the authors studied metabolic characteristics in hyperchromic neurons, using methods of electron cytochemistry. The parameters of plastic and energy metabolism investigated included ribonucleoproteins (RNP), Mg-activated ATPase and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Two types of neurons with a different degree of hyperchromia and a decrease in metabolic activity were identified. The type I neurons were characterized by a marked decrease in the activity of the studied enzymes and the number of RNP particles, type II neurons by almost complete absence of enzymic activity and a sharp decrease in RNP particles. The results obtained make it possible to consider the hyperchromic neuron as a cell with a diminished functional activity.