Reduction of Synaptophysin Immunoreactivity in the Prefrontal Cortex of Subjects With Schizophrenia

摘要: Background: Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the prefrontal cortex is a site dysfunction in schizophrenia. However, apparent absence gross structural abnormalities this area suggests pathophysiological characteristics schizophrenia may involve more subtle disturbances cortical circuitry, such as alterations synaptic connectivity and transmission. In study, immunoreactivity for synaptophysin, an integral membrane protein small vesicles, was used to assess integrity circuitry Methods: Using immunocytochemical techniques adjusted optical density measurements, we examined synaptophysin areas 9 46 17. (the primary visual cortex) from 10 pairs case subjects with control matched on pairwise basis age, sex, race, postmortem interval, 5 nonschizophrenic psychiatric normal subjects. Results: Compared levels found subjects, significantly decreased (P Conclusions: Additional studies are required determine if decrease caused by number or size presynaptic terminals, vesicles per terminal, expression synaptophysin. all these potential explanations consistent disturbance transmission patients