A selective reduction in the relative density of parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the hippocampus in schizophrenia patients.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To determine the relative densities of the GABAergic subpopulation defined by calcium-binding proteins and to further study the importance of changes in GABAergic interneurons on neuropathology in the hippocampus in schizophrenia cases.

METHODS:
The relative densities and neuronal body size of cells immunoreactive for the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin and calretinin as well as the area size of the hippocampal sub-fields were determined from the hippocampal tissue sections taken from schizophrenic patients and well-matched control subjects (15 per group).

RESULTS:
No significant difference in the density of calretinin-immunoreactive neurons and the neuronal body size of calretinin-positive neurons was found between subject groups. Relative to normal controls, schizophrenic patients showed a significant and profound deficit in the relative densities of parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in all hippocampal sub-fields. These reductions were more apparent in male schizophrenic patients and were unrelated to antipsychotic drug treatment, age or duration of illness.

CONCLUSION:
The findings provide further evidence to support a profound and selective abnormality of a sub- population of GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus in schizophrenia cases, and are consistent with the etiological hypothesis of the neurodevelopment of schizophrenia.

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Author information

Author/s: Zhang, Zhijun (Z); Sun, Jing (J); Reynolds, Gavin P (GP);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, China. lbicheng@public1.ptt.js.cn

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Chinese medical journal (Chin Med J (Engl)), published in China. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jun; vol 115 (issue 6) : pp 819-23

Dates: Created 2002/07/18; Completed 2002/08/13; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12123544, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent - analysis
Cell Count
Female
Hippocampus - chemistry
Humans

Immunohistochemistry
Male
Middle Aged
Neurons - chemistry
Parvalbumins - analysis
Receptors, GABA - analysis
Schizophrenia - metabolism; pathology

Associated Chemicals: Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent (0) ; Parvalbumins (0) ; Receptors, GABA (0) ; calretinin (0)

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