Structural abnormalities of subicular dendrites in subjects with schizophrenia and mood disorders - Preliminary findings

Citation
G. Rosoklija et al., Structural abnormalities of subicular dendrites in subjects with schizophrenia and mood disorders - Preliminary findings, ARCH G PSYC, 57(4), 2000, pp. 349-356
Citations number
49
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry","Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
ARCHIVES OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY
ISSN journal
0003990X → ACNP
Volume
57
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
349 - 356
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-990X(200004)57:4<349:SAOSDI>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Background: Postmortem studies of the subiculum from subjects with schizoph renia have detected smaller pyramidal cell bodies and diminished immunoreac tivity for the dendritic protein, microtubule-associated protein 2. While t hese findings suggest that subicular pyramidal cell dendrites may be struct urally altered in subjects with schizophrenia, this possibility had not bee n tested directly. Methods: Rapid Golgi impregnation of archival brain specimens was used to c ompare the morphologic characteristics of subicular dendrites in subjects w ith schizophrenia (n = 13) and mood disorders (n = 6) with subjects without psychiatric disease (n = 8). The specimens were processed and analyzed by physicians blind to diagnosis. The extent of dendritic trees in the subicul um and fusiform gyrus was examined by Sholl analysis. Spine density on apic al dendrites of subicular pyramidal cells was determined at a fixed distanc e from the cell body. Results: Spine density and arborization of subicular apical dendrites were significantly related to diagnostic group. Spine density was significantly lower in the schizophrenia and mood disorder groups than in the nonpsychiat ric group. Among the mood disorder cases, diminished spine density was appa rently related to a strong family history of major psychiatric diseases. Th ere were no significant effects of diagnostic group on Sholl analysis of no napical subicular dendrites nor on Sholl analysis of dendrites of neocortic al pyramidal cells in the fusiform gyrus. Conclusions: We have observed an association between schizophrenia and majo r mood disorders and structural abnormalities of subicular apical dendrites . Further studies are needed to test this association in a larger sample an d to evaluate the potential role of family history and of confounding facto rs, such as medications and chronic institutionalization.