No differences in calcium-binding protein immunoreactivity in the posterior cingulate and visual cortex: schizophrenia and controls.
Schizophrenia-specific alterations in the densities of interneurons immunoreactive (ir) to the calcium binding proteins are reported for several cortical regions. However, no reported studies have searched for such differences within the posterior cingulate cortex using antibodies to a specific calcium binding protein, calbindin (Cb).


OBJECTIVE
Compare the (a) relative density of Cb-ir neurons (ratio of labeled neurons to total neurons), (b) relative width of cortical layers II/III and (c) somal areas of Cb-ir neurons in people with schizophrenia and non-psychiatric age-, gender- and postmortem index-matched controls (9 per group).


METHODS
Tissue from Brodmann's area (BA) 30 and 23 and an internal control region, the visual cortex (BA 18) were labeled with polyclonal Cb antibodies then Nissl counter-stained. Cb-ir neurons as well as counter-stained neurons with clearly visible nucleoli were plotted and counted within their area 1 and laminar boundaries.


RESULTS
No qualitative or statistical differences in the relative density of Cb-ir neurons were observed. A trend towards a significant effect was detected in BA 30, the relative density of Cb-ir neurons for controls was greater than for schizophrenics (P=0.0518). There were no significant differences in the relative cortical widths or somal areas. The data from this study suggest that the posterior cingulate cortex may not be involved in schizophrenia, at least not as far as Cb-ir neurons are concerned.
Wheeler
David G
DG
Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD), Sydney, Australia. wheeler@med.USyd.Edu.au
Dixon
Gavin
G
Harper
Clive G
CG
D000328:Adult; D064026:Calbindins; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D064026:Calbindins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G