Deficit of Perineuronal Satellite Oligodendrocytes in Layer 3 of the Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background: impaired intracortical myelination most pronounced in prefrontal cortex is tightly linked to inadequate information processing in schizophrenia. Previously we reported a significant decrease in the numerical density (Nv) of oligodendrocytes (Ol) and oligodendrocyte clusters (OlC) in layers 3 and 5 of the prefrontal cortex, Brodmann area 10 (BA10) in schizophrenia. To date there are few studies on the possible role of perineuronal oligodendrocyte satellites (Sat-Ol) in human brain pathology.Aim of the study: to estimate the number of Sat-Ol per pyramidal neuron in layer 3 of BA10 in schizophrenia as compared to healthy controls and to evaluate the possible correlations between the number of Sat-Ol and NvOl or NvOlC in schizophrenia and normal controls.Material and methods: we investigated the number of Sat-Ol per pyramidal neuron in sublayers 3a, 3b and 3c of layer 3 of BA10 in schizophrenia (n = 20) as compared to healthy controls (n = 20) in the same section collection previously used for the study of the NvOl and NvOlC.Rеsults and conclusion: we found a significant reduction in the number of Sat-Ol in schizophrenia as compared to the control group (17 and 24% resp., p < 0.01). There were no correlations between the number of Sat-Ol and the NvOl or NvOlC. The comparison of current data to similar findings from our previous studies in BA39 and BA40 of the inferior parietal cortex indicates that specific features of oligodendrocyte alterations and their correlation patterns may be associated with specific activity-driven plasticity of corresponding networks in normal and schizophrenia brains.