Micrometer-sized particles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with schizophrenia.
The etiology of schizophrenia is unknown, but the pathogenetic process involves organic changes in brain tissue, which may alter the composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). For the present study, CSF was obtained by lumbar puncture from 22 schizophrenic patients and 38 control patients. We have used scanning electron microscopy combined with filtration techniques to search for pathogenic correlates and diagnostic biomarkers in the nano-micrometer range. Micrometer-sized spherical particles were isolated from CSF in 20 of the 22 patients with schizophrenia compared to only two of the 38 controls (P < 0.001). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis did not reveal bacterial DNA material in the particles. The particles have not replicated in culture. The micrometer-sized particles may serve as biological disease markers in schizophrenia. Hypothetically, they may be involved in development of the disease or may result from the disease process in brains of schizophrenic patients.
Wetterberg
Lennart
L
Department of Psychiatry, The Karolinska Institute, St. Goran's Hospital, S-112 81 Stockholm, Sweden. lennart.wetterberg@cns.ki.se
Nybom
Rolf
R
Bratlid
Trond
T
Fladby
Tormod
T
Olsson
Berit
B
Wigzell
Hans
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010316:Particle Size; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers