Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Morphometric analysis of neuronal and glial cell pathology in the caudate nucleus in late-life depression

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Ahmad Khundakar, Dr Christopher Morris, Arthur Oakley, Professor Alan ThomasORCiD

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess glial and neuronal density and neuronal volume in two areas of the caudate nucleus in late-life major depression. DESIGN: A postmortem study using the disector and nucleator methods to estimate neuronal density and volume and glial density of cells from human brain tissue from the anterior portion (dorsolateral and ventromedial aspects) of the caudate nucleus. SETTING: Brain tissues were obtained from the Newcastle Brain Tissue Resource at Newcastle University, UK. PARTICIPANTS: The study group consisted of 13 subjects with late-life major depression and nine comparison subjects of similar age. RESULTS: Evidence of moderate reductions in neuronal density was found in the depressed group in both the dorsolateral and ventromedial areas of the caudate nucleus. There were no significant changes in glial density or neuronal volume in either area nor was there any evidence of differences in depression in early and late-onset subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroimaging abnormalities in frontal and subcortical areas including ischemic hyperintensities and a reduction in volume and metabolism in the caudate nucleus have been reported in late-life depression, and previous morphometric studies have reported neuronal changes in prefrontal cortical areas. The findings in this study extend these morphometric investigations in late-life depression to the caudate nucleus, suggesting that neuronal abnormalities are present in this subcortical nucleus as well as in these related prefrontal areas.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Khundakar A, Morris C, Oakley A, Thomas AJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: American Journal Geriatric Psychiatry

Year: 2011

Volume: 19

Issue: 2

Pages: 132-141

Print publication date: 01/02/2011

ISSN (print): 1064-7481

ISSN (electronic): 1545-7214

Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181df4642

DOI: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181df4642

PubMed id: 20808096


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share