Deficit of oligodendrocytes in the frontal cortex in schizophrenia

Abstract

Oligodendrocyte abnormalities are thought to be one of the key cellular pathologies involved in disturbances of neuronal connectivity in schizophrenia. The density of oligodendrocytes in layer III of the prefrontal cortex, BA10, in schizophrenia (n=20) was compared to controls (n=20) using optical dissector method. MANCOVA was applied for group comparisons. The density of oligodendrocytes was significantly lower in each sublayers of layer III (≤20% p≤0.05) in the schizophrenia group as compared to the control group. The deficit of oligodendrocytes in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia may be of developmental origin or the result of alterations in the neural tissue of the brain during disease course.