Ultrastructural disturbances of pericapillary microglia, perioligodendrocyte microglia, oligodendrocytes and their interactions in postmortem caudate nucleus in schizophrenia
AI Summary
Age-related mitochondrial deficits in PCapMg, POlMg and oligodendrocytes in schizophrenia, showing reduced mitochondrial volume fraction and number.
Increased lipofuscin volume fraction and number in pericapillary microglia, correlating with perioligodendrocyte microglial lipofuscin in schizophrenia.
Loss of coordinated mitochondrial metrics between microglia and oligodendrocytes implies disturbed interactions, altered energy and lipid metabolism and potential blood-brain barrier disruption in caudate.
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2026 May 8. doi: 10.1007/s00406-026-02263-5. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Previously we reported ultrastructural abnormalities of capillaries, microglia and oligodendrocytes in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. We aimed to estimate the ultrastructural changes of pericapillary microglia (PCapMg), perioligodendrocyte microglia (POlMg) and oligodendrocytes adjacent to microglia in the head of the caudate nucleus (CN) in schizophrenia.
METHOD: Electron microscopy and morphometry of microglia and oligodendrocytes in the head of the CN were performed in 21 schizophrenia cases and 20 normal controls.
RESULTS: We found age-related lower volume fraction (Vv) and the number (N) of mitochondria in PCapMg, POlMg and in oligodendrocytes and higher Vv and N of lipofuscin in PCapMg in the schizophrenia group as compared to the control group. Area of lipofuscin granules in PCapMg positively correlated with Vv and N of lipofuscin granules in POlMg in the schizophrenia group but not in the control group. Vv and N of mitochondria in PCapMg positively correlated with Vv of mitochondria in POlMg, and Vv and N of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes positively correlated with Vv of mitochondria in POlMg in the control group but not in the schizophrenia group.
CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that disturbed interactions between PCapMg, POlMg and oligodendrocytes in schizophrenia are associated with altered energy and lipid metabolism, mitochondria deficit and accelerated aging of PCapMg in schizophrenia. These changes might contribute to a disturbance of blood-brain barrier in the head of the CN in schizophrenia.
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