
Am J Psychiatry 161:882-888, May 2004
© 2004 American Psychiatric Association
Glial Cell Loss in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, a Subregion of the Prefrontal Cortex, in Subjects With Schizophrenia
Anette K. Stark, M.D.,
Harry B.M. Uylings, Prof., M.D., Ph.D.,
Ernesto Sanz-Arigita, M.D., Ph.D., and
Bente Pakkenberg, M.D., Dr.Med.Sci.
OBJECTIVE: Structural deficits in the anterior cingulate cortex such as changes in glial cell and neuron numbers may be part of the anatomical substrate for schizophrenia and need to be investigated. The total number of neurons and glial cells in brains of 12 schizophrenia subjects and 14 comparison subjects were determined in two subdivisions of the prefrontal cortex: Brodmanns area 24, a part of the anterior cingulate cortex, and Brodmanns area 32 in the paracingulate cortex. METHOD: The estimate of the total cell number was obtained by multiplying the volume of the region (estimated by using Cavalieris point counting method) by the numerical density obtained from optical disectors in the cytoarchitectonically defined areas from the prefrontal cortex. RESULTS: The average total of bilateral glial cells in Brodmanns area 24 was 201x106 in subjects with schizophrenia and 302x106 in comparison subjects, a statistically significant difference of 33%, whereas there was a nonsignificant difference between the schizophrenia subjects and the comparison subjects in total number of glial cells in Brodmanns area 32. The bilateral average total number of neurons in areas 24 and 32 did not differ significantly between the schizophrenia and comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A selective reduction in glial cells in Brodmanns area 24 (but not in area 32) is seen in brains of subjects with schizophrenia relative to those of comparison subjects. Further investigations of the glial cells, their mutual relationship, and their relationship with neurons are needed to understand the role of specific glial components in this mental disorder.
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Fornito, M. Yucel, B. Dean, S. J. Wood, and C. Pantelis
Anatomical Abnormalities of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Schizophrenia: Bridging the Gap Between Neuroimaging and Neuropathology
Schizophr Bull,
September 1, 2009;
35(5):
973 - 993.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Lyck, I. Dalmau, J. Chemnitz, B. Finsen, and H. D. Schroder
Immunohistochemical Markers for Quantitative Studies of Neurons and Glia in Human Neocortex
J. Histochem. Cytochem.,
March 1, 2008;
56(3):
201 - 221.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
V. M. Goghari, K. Rehm, C. S. Carter, and A. W. Macdonald
Sulcal thickness as a vulnerability indicator for schizophrenia
The British Journal of Psychiatry,
September 1, 2007;
191(3):
229 - 233.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
V. M. Goghari, K. Rehm, C. S. Carter, and A. W. MacDonald III
Regionally Specific Cortical Thinning and Gray Matter Abnormalities in the Healthy Relatives of Schizophrenia Patients
Cereb Cortex,
February 1, 2007;
17(2):
415 - 424.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. D. Honey, E. Pomarol-Clotet, P. R. Corlett, R. A. E. Honey, P. J. Mckenna, E. T. Bullmore, and P. C. Fletcher
Functional dysconnectivity in schizophrenia associated with attentional modulation of motor function
Brain,
November 1, 2005;
128(11):
2597 - 2611.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. R. Milad, B. T. Quinn, R. K. Pitman, S. P. Orr, B. Fischl, and S. L. Rauch
Thickness of ventromedial prefrontal cortex in humans is correlated with extinction memory
PNAS,
July 26, 2005;
102(30):
10706 - 10711.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
Get information about faster international access.
a>
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2004
American Psychiatric Association.
All rights reserved.
Home
| Search
| Current Issue
| Past Issues
| Subscribe
| All APPI Journals
| Help
| Contact Us
|