Dopamine-glutamate abnormalities in the frontal cortex associated with the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in schizophrenia.
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays an important role in brain catecholamine metabolism. Several studies point to the involvement of COMT in schizophrenia. We applied COMT immunohistochemistry to paraffin-embedded brain sections and assessed the cell density of COMT expressing glial cells and COMT expressing neurons in the gray matter of the frontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia compared with control subjects. We found a significantly increased cell density of COMT expressing glial cells (p=0.003), but an unchanged cell density of COMT expressing neurons (p=0.778) in the gray matter of the frontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia compared with control subjects. Our study demonstrates that schizophrenia might involve increased COMT expression in glial cells in the frontal cortex, which might be associated with a neuronal-glial abnormality and a disturbed dopamine-glutamate interaction.
Brisch
Ralf
R
Department of Psychiatry, Otto-von-Guericke-University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany. ralfbrisch@hotmail.com
Bernstein
Hans-Gert
HG
Krell
Dieter
D
Dobrowolny
Henrik
H
Bielau
Hendrik
H
Steiner
Johann
J
Gos
Tomasz
T
Funke
Sieglinde
S
Stauch
Renate
R
Knüppel
Sven
S
Bogerts
Bernhard
B
D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D018698:Glutamic Acid; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D004298:Dopamine