Altered cortical calbindin-immunoreactive interneuron populations associated with schizophrenia
Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Schizophrenia reduces the fitness of an individual but continues to remain prevalent in 1% of the human population around the world and is thought to be a consequence of human brain evolution.Recent research has indicated that many symptoms of schizophrenia are associated with cortical disinhibition.Inhibitory processes are responsible for focusing on specific tasks and blocking out excess signals.This study focused on calbindin-immunoreactive (CB-ir) interneurons, a subset of the GABAergic neurons, in Brodmann's areas 9 and 46.These areas have been implicated in auditory hallucinations as revealed by fMRI.Interneurons that colocalize with calbindin are decreased in schizophrenia, and it is thought that this decrease contributes to deficits in language and auditory processing.The density of these interneurons was compared to those of the surrounding areas (Areas 44 and 41) to determine if there was a selective disinhibition within areas 9 and 46.Tissue samples were analyzed using immunohistochemistry in order to visualize CB-ir interneurons.Results showed a decrease in CB-ir interneurons in layers V-VI of areas 46 and 41 in schizophrenic subjects compared to normal controls.Alternately, there was an increase in schizophrenic subjects of CB-ir interneurons in layers II-III of area 41 compared to normal controls.These results indicate abnormal CB-ir interneuron densities in both the frontal and temporal lobes of schizophrenic patients that may result in deficits in audition, attention, and audition.
Author: Amy Contole Dupper
Institution: Kent State University
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2400388598