Ribosomal DNA transcription in the dorsal raphe nucleus is increased in residual but not in paranoid schizophrenia

摘要: The central serotonergic system is implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, where imbalance between dopamine, serotonin and glutamate plays a key pathophysiological role. dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) main source innervation forebrain limbic structures disturbed schizophrenia patients. study was carried out on paraffin-embedded brains from 17 (8 paranoid 9 residual) patients 28 matched controls without mental disorders. transcriptional activity ribosomal DNA (rDNA) DRN neurons evaluated by AgNOR silver-staining method. An increased rDNA found cumulative analysis all subnuclei (t test, P = 0.02). Further subgroup revealed that it an effect specific for residual versus or control groups (ANOVA, P = 0.002). This confounded neither suicide nor antipsychotic medication. Our findings suggest distinct phenomenon particularly activation transcription may represent compensatory mechanism to overcome previously described prefrontal hypofunction this diagnostic subgroup.