title: Mean cell spacing abnormalities in the neocortex of patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: It has been postulated that the prefrontal cortices of schizophrenic patients have significant alterations in their interneuronal (neuropil) space. The present study re-examines this finding based on measurements of mean cell spacing within the cell minicolumn. The population studied consisted of 13 male schizophrenic patients (DSM-IV criteria) and 13 age-matched controls. Photomicrographs of Brodmann's areas 9, 4 (M1), 3b (S1), and 17 (V1) were analyzed with computerized image analysis to measure parameters of minicolumnar morphometry, i.e., columnarity index (CI), minicolumnar width (CW), dispersion of minicolumnar width (V(CW)), and mean interneuronal distance (MCS). The results indicate alterations in the mean cell spacing of schizophrenic patients according to both the lamina and cortical area examined. The lack of variation in the columnarity index argues in favor of a defect postdating the formation of the cell minicolumn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, 500 South Preston Street, A Building, Room 217, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. M0CASA02@louisville.edu
authors.forename: Manuel F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Zeeuw
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Switala
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kreczmanski
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Korr
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ulfig
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heinsen
authors.forename: Harry W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D002452:Cell Count; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005110:Extracellular Space; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index