title: Fatty acid composition of the postmortem prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.
abstract: Postmortem brain studies have shown abnormal levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid, in the frontal cortex (particularly the orbitofrontal cortex) of patients with depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. However, the results from regions in the frontal cortex other than the orbitofrontal cortex are inconsistent. In this study we investigated whether patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder have abnormalities in PUFA levels in the prefrontal cortex [Brodmann area (BA) 8]. In postmortem studies, fatty acids in the phospholipids of the prefrontal cortex (BA8) were evaluated by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. Specimens were evaluated for patients with schizophrenia (n=15), bipolar disorder (n=15), or major depressive disorder (n=15) and compared with unaffected controls (n=15). In contrast to previous studies, we found no significant differences in the levels of PUFAs or other fatty acids in the prefrontal cortex (BA8) between patients and controls. Subanalysis by sex also showed no significant differences. No significant differences were found in any individual fatty acids between suicide and non-suicide cases. These psychiatric disorders might be characterized by very specific fatty acid compositions in certain areas of the brain, and BA8 might not be involved in abnormalities of PUFA metabolism.
authors: Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. Electronic address: keihama@med.u-toyama.ac.jp.
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Hamazaki
authors: Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors: Motoko
authors: M
authors: Maekawa
authors: Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Toyota
authors: The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Howard Florey Laboratories, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; The Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Dean
authors: Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors: Tomohito
authors: T
authors: Hamazaki
authors: Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Yoshikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids
keywords: Brodmann area 8; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Postmortem brain; Prefrontal cortex