title: Altered thalamic membrane phospholipids in schizophrenia: a postmortem study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Membrane lipids are important mediators of neuronal function. In a postmortem study, we measured membrane lipid components in the left thalamus of schizophrenic patients. This region might play an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and has not been studied thus far with respect to its membrane lipid composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 18 chronic schizophrenic patients and 23 healthy control subjects. Using lipid extraction and thin-layer chromatography, we measured membrane phospholipids, galactocerebrosides 1 and 2, and sulfatides in thalamus homogenate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main membrane phospholipid phosphatidylcholine and the major myelin membrane components sphingomyelin and galactocerebrosides 1 and 2 were found to be decreased in schizophrenic patients. In contrast, phosphatidylserine was increased. These lipid contents did not correlate with postmortem intervals and medication doses. There was no difference in the membrane phospholipids lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylglycerol or in sulfatides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm findings of magnetic resonance imaging, postmortem, and gene expression studies. They support the notion of an increased phospholipid breakdown in schizophrenia as a sign for decreased myelination and oligodendrocyte dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilczek
authors.forename: Kaj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blennow
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maras
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jatzko
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petroianu
authors.forename: Dieter F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Braus
authors.forename: Wagner F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Gattaz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001344:Autopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005699:Galactosylceramides; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids