Baj Jacek, Forma Alicja, Karakuła Kaja, Flieger Wojciech, Flieger Michał, Kowalska Beata, Kamińska Iwona, Majerek Dariusz, Teresiński Grzegorz, Maciejewski Ryszard, Radzikowska-Büchner Elżbieta, Flieger Jolanta
Department of Correct, Clinical and Imaging Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 4, Lublin, 20-090, Poland.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, Lublin, 20-090, Poland.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 29;15(1):18946. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-03283-2.
The anthropogenic environment and diet are sources of chemical elements, both essential and toxic. Many of them play a key role in the proper functioning of the brain by controlling oxidative metabolism, neurotransmission and the production of neurotransmitters. Disturbances in element homeostasis are associated with the development of depression and many neurodegenerative diseases. The study examined the content of several elements in liver and brain samples taken from autopsies of residents of south-eastern Poland (n = 40). In order to determine the differences in the elemental composition of tissues collected from suicide victims compared to the control group who died from another cause, the Mann-Whitney U test was performed. There was a significant difference in the correlation patterns between the two groups for both brain (χ² = 1490.19, df = 1378, p < 7e-122, z = 3.72) and liver χ² = 2998.7, df = 1378, p < 0.018, z = 126.71). Two-way non-parametric Spearman rank correlation matrices showed different numbers and strengths of correlations for most brain regions in the compared groups, especially for the head of the caudate nucleus (Latin: caput nuclei caudati), superior longitudinal fasciculus (Latin: fasciculus longitudinalis superior cerebri), and hippocampus (Latin: hippocampus). Differences between groups reached statistical significance in the case of higher lanthanide content in the liver of suicides and lower Ca content in the basal ganglia (head of the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens septum), dorsal thalamus and insula. Brain samples from different regions of suicide victims were characterized by higher levels of, among others: Ag, P, Fe and Cu. Our findings suggest clear differences in trace metal content and inter-correlations in the brain and liver tissues of suicide victims compared to controls.
人为环境和饮食是化学元素的来源，这些元素既有必需的，也有有毒的。其中许多元素通过控制氧化代谢、神经传递和神经递质的产生，在大脑的正常功能中发挥关键作用。元素稳态的紊乱与抑郁症和许多神经退行性疾病的发展有关。该研究检测了从波兰东南部居民（n = 40）尸检中获取的肝脏和大脑样本中几种元素的含量。为了确定自杀受害者与死于其他原因的对照组相比，所采集组织的元素组成差异，进行了曼-惠特尼U检验。两组在大脑（χ² = 1490.19，自由度df = 1378，p < 7e-122，z = 3.72）和肝脏（χ² = 2998.7，自由度df = 1378，p < 0.018，z = 126.71）的相关模式上存在显著差异。双向非参数斯皮尔曼等级相关矩阵显示，在比较的组中，大多数脑区的相关性数量和强度不同，尤其是尾状核头部（拉丁语：caput nuclei caudati）、上纵束（拉丁语：fasciculus longitudinalis superior cerebri）和海马体（拉丁语：hippocampus）。在自杀者肝脏中镧系元素含量较高，而在基底神经节（尾状核头部、伏隔核）、背侧丘脑和岛叶中钙含量较低的情况下，组间差异具有统计学意义。自杀受害者不同脑区的样本具有较高水平的元素，包括银、磷、铁和铜。我们的研究结果表明，与对照组相比，自杀受害者大脑和肝脏组织中的微量金属含量及相互关系存在明显差异。
