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Increased neuronal cell number in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Hubertus Axer ,
Hans-Gert Bernstein ,
Silke Keiner ,
Polina Heronimus ,
Heinrich Sauer ,
Otto W. Witte ,
Bernhard Bogerts  and
Karl-Jürgen Bär
Hubertus Axer*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07747 Jena, Germany
Hans-Gert Bernstein
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
Silke Keiner
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07747 Jena, Germany
Polina Heronimus
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
Heinrich Sauer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, D-07747 Jena, Germany
Otto W. Witte
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07747 Jena, Germany
Bernhard Bogerts
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany
Karl-Jürgen Bär
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, D-07747 Jena, Germany
*
PD Dr. med. Hubertus Axer, Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07747 Jena, Germany. Tel: +49 3641 9323454; Fax: +49 3641 9323402; E-mail: Hubertus.Axer@med.uni-jena.de
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Abstract

Axer H, Bernstein H-G, Keiner S, Heronimus P, Sauer H, Witte OW, Bogerts B, Bär K-J. Increased neuronal cell number in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in schizophrenia.

Objective:

Recently, a reduction in efferent vagal regulation has been found in schizophrenic patients.

Methods:

Therefore, the brainstems of nine schizophrenic patients and nine normal controls were stereologically analysed. The number of neurons using the optical fractionator method and nuclear volumes applying the Cavalieri principle was estimated in Nissl stained sections of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNV) and the hypoglossal nucleus.

Results:

The neurons in the right DMNV were significantly increased in the schizophrenic group compared to normal controls (p = 0.047), while the volumes of the DMNV did not differ. In contrast, no such differences were found in the hypoglossal nucleus.

Conclusion:

Although this pilot study is limited by its small sample size, the analysis of the solitarius–ambiguus–vagus system in schizophrenic patients is an interesting target in schizophrenia research. The most reasonable background for increased neuron numbers in the DMNV could be a system-specific neurodevelopmental disturbance in schizophrenia.

Keywords

dorsal motor nucleus of the vagushypoglossal nucleusschizophreniastereologyautonomic dysfunctionsudden cardiac death
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 26 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S

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