Variability in the human entorhinal region may confound neuropsychiatric diagnoses.
The human entorhinal region consists of a number of areas; however, there is no generally accepted nomenclature for these cytoarchitectonic fields, and the designation of its constituent layers or strata is a matter of controversy. Here, we consider a hitherto neglected adjacent field, the preamygdaloid claustrocortex. Its medial subfield has a small common border with the rostromedial entorhinal region (width maximal 2 mm). Both fields are cytoarchitectonically rather similar. The rostromedial oral entorhinal field lacks ascending terminal islands. Its unusually small pre-alpha cells are arranged in a thin band or small clusters consisting of pyramidal, triangular, or polymorphic cells. The conspicuous chromophilic pre-beta cell clusters are composed of a variety of cell types, including groups of 'immature' spindle-shaped or bipolar nerve cells. Furthermore, a rare sulcus within the entorhinal region (central sulcus of the entorhinal region: observed in 4% of the 450 brains examined) is associated with an unusual lamination of the entorhinal layers in its wall and floor. Both the specific shape and arrangement of neurones in the claustrocortical-rostral entorhinal border region and the unusual lamination within the rare central entorhinal sulcus are regarded as reflecting neurodevelopmental disturbances characteristic of schizophrenic brains. In contrast, our observations in a large sample of serially sectioned brains from controls, schizophrenics, and patients suffering from neuropsychiatric diseases other than schizophrenia do not support this assumption.
Heinsen
H
H
Morphologische Hirnforschung, Universitäts-Nervenklinik, Würzburg, Germany.
Gössmann
E
E
Rüb
U
U
Eisenmenger
W
W
Bauer
M
M
Ulmar
G
G
Bethke
B
B
Schüler
M
M
Schmitt
H P
HP
Götz
M
M
Lockemann
U
U
Püschel
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000473:pathology; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology