Unipolar-bipolar dichotomy of mood disorders is supported by noradrenergic brainstem system morphology.
BACKGROUND
The biological basis of unipolar-bipolar dichotomy of mood disorders was investigated in this postmortem study by morphological comparison of the locus coeruleus (LC) as the main source of noradrenergic transmission in the brain.


METHODS
Numbers and the rostro-caudal as well as ventro-dorsal distribution of neuromelanin-containing neurones in the LC were determined in brainstem of 12 patients with bipolar disorder (n = 6) or major depression (n = 6), and 12 normal comparison subjects.


RESULTS
Bipolar patients had significantly more neurones on both sides of the LC as a whole than patients with major depression. Topographical analysis revealed that this difference was restricted to the rostral two thirds and the dorsal part of the LC, in which bipolar patients showed at least a trend to higher neurone numbers as compared to unipolar patients or to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Small case numbers.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest differences of innervation arising from the LC of bipolar patients as compared to patients with major depression. These first data of brainstem transmitter system morphology in unipolar and bipolar disorder are in line with neuroanatomical studies of other brain regions indicating a biological basis of the unipolar-bipolar dichotomy of mood disorders.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Germany.
B
B
Baumann
P
P
Danos
D
D
Krell
S
S
Diekmann
C
C
Wurthmann
H
H
Bielau
H G
HG
Bernstein
B
B
Bogerts
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
D008543:Melanins