P. Davidsson et al., The synaptic-vesicle-specific proteins rab3a and synaptophysin are reducedin thalamus and related cortical brain regions in schizophrenic brains, SCHIZOPHR R, 40(1), 1999, pp. 23-29
Two synaptic-vesicle proteins, rab3a and synaptophysin, have been studied o
n post-mortem brain tissues of schizophrenics and healthy controls. We foun
d significantly reduced levels of rab3a in thalamus (p < 0.001); for both p
roteins in gyrus cinguli and hippocampus (p < 0.0001); for rab3a in frontal
and parietal cortex (p < 0.05); and no differences in temporal cortex or c
erebellum in schizophrenics compared with controls. Reduced synaptic densit
y may be a prominent feature of the molecular neuropathology of schizophren
ia. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.