Purkinje cells pathology in schizophrenia. A morphometric approach.

OBJECTIVES

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects more than 21 million people worldwide. Ventricle enlargement and reduction in the volume of the temporal lobe overall and in medial temporal structures constitutes the main macroscopic findings, whilst synaptic and spinal changes as well as gliosis in the hippocampal formation, the prefrontal and the entorhinal cortex stand among cardinal microscopic findings in the schizophrenic brains. In recent years, accumulated evidence comes to light about the role of cerebellum in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study is based on the morphological analysis and 3D neuronal reconstruction of the Purkinje cells from 10 schizophrenic brains and 10 normal controls.

RESULTS

Significant morphological alterations such as loss of distal and terminal dendritic branches and decrease of the density of the dendritic spines constitute the main morphological findings found in the present study.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings may be added to accumulated evidence on macroscopic and microscopic pathology of the cerebellum in schizophrenia. Morphological alterations of Purkinje cells seem to be a central feature of neuropathology of schizophrenia, reflecting to impairment of neuronal connectivity and functionality, and related to motor and cognitive symptoms.