Loss of synaptic but not cytoskeletal proteins in the cerebellum of chronic schizophrenics

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 317; no. 3; pp. 161 - 165
• Main Authors: Mukaetova-Ladinska, E.B., Hurt, J., Honer, W.G., Harrington, C.R., Wischik, C.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 14.01.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebellum; Cerebellum - metabolism; Cerebellum - pathology; Cerebellum - physiopathology; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Down-Regulation - physiology; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; MAP2; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neurotransmitter Agents - metabolism; Presynaptic Terminals - metabolism; Presynaptic Terminals - ultrastructure; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Qa-SNARE Proteins; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - metabolism; Schizophrenia - pathology; Schizophrenia - physiopathology; SNAP-25; Synaptic Transmission - physiology; Synaptophysin - metabolism; Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25; Tau; tau Proteins - metabolism; Cerebellum; Schizophrenia; Tau; MAP2; SNAP-25; Psychosis; Human; Chronic; Synapse; Tau protein; Central nervous system; Cytoskeleton; Microtubule associated protein; Protein; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(01)02458-2

The pathobiology of schizophrenia is poorly understood, and many neuroanatomical domains have been considered to underlie the pathophysiology of the disease. There is considerable clinical and neuroradiological evidence to support cerebellar involvement in the schizophrenic illness. We have analysed the changes in synaptic and cytoskeletal proteins in the cerebellum associated with schizophrenia. The cerebellar expression of tau and MAP2 proteins is similar in schizophrenia to that detected in age-matched controls, whereas the level of SNAP-25 is significantly depleted in the schizophrenic cerebellum. Other synaptic proteins, such as synaptophysin and syntaxin, are not affected. This provides evidence that alterations of the cerebellar synaptic network occur in schizophrenia. These changes may influence cerebellar-forebrain connections, especially those with the frontal lobes, and give rise to the cognitive dysmetria that is characteristic of the clinical phenotype in schizophrenia .