title: BA11 FKBP5 expression levels correlate with dendritic spine density in postmortem PTSD and controls.
abstract: Genetic variants of the immunophilin FKBP5 have been implicated in susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other stress-related disorders. We examined the relationship between mushroom, stubby, thin and filopodial spine densities measured with Golgi staining and FKBP5 gene expression in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (BA11) in individuals diagnosed with PTSD and normal controls (n = 8/8). ANCOVA revealed PTSD cases had a significantly elevated density of stubby spines (29%, P < 0.037) and a trend for a reduction in mushroom spine density (25%, p < 0.082). Levels of FKBP5 mRNA were marginally elevated in the PTSD cases (z = 1.94, p = 0.053) and levels correlated inversely with mushroom (Spearman's rho = -0.83, p < 0.001) and overall spine density (rho = -0.75, p < 0.002) and directly with stubby spine density (rho = 0.55, p < 0.027). These data suggest that FKBP5 may participate in a cellular pathway modulating neuronal spine density changes in the brain, and that this pathway may be dysregulated in PTSD.
authors: Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA.
authors: Keith A
authors: KA
authors: Young
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Southwest Brain Bank, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors: Peter M
authors: PM
authors: Thompson
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Southwest Brain Bank, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors: Dianne A
authors: DA
authors: Cruz
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Southwest Brain Bank, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors: Douglas E
authors: DE
authors: Williamson
authors: Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors: Lynn D
authors: LD
authors: Selemon
keywords: Dendritic spine; FKBP5; Post-mortem; Post-traumatic stress disorder