title: Altered parvalbumin-positive neuron distribution in basal ganglia of individuals with Tourette syndrome.
abstract: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics. Imaging studies found alterations in caudate (Cd) and putamen volumes. To investigate possible alterations in cell populations, postmortem basal ganglia tissue from individuals with TS and normal controls was analyzed by using unbiased stereological techniques. A markedly higher total neuron number was found in the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) of TS. In contrast, a lower neuron number and density was observed in the globus pallidus pars externa and in the Cd. An increased number and proportion of the GPi neurons were positive for the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin in tissue from TS subjects, whereas lower densities of parvalbumin-positive interneurons were observed in both the Cd and putamen of TS subjects. This change is consistent with a developmental defect in tangential migration of some GABAergic neurons. The imbalance in striatal and GPi inhibitory neuron distribution suggests that the functional dynamics of cortico-striato-thalamic circuitry are fundamentally altered in severe, persistent TS.
authors.affiliation: Child Study Center and Department of Neurobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520.
authors.forename: Paul S A
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kalanithi
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiFiglia
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grantz
authors.forename: Clifford B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Saper
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Leckman
authors.forename: Flora M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vaccarino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000032:analysis*; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
chemical_list: D010320:Parvalbumins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid