Evidence for morphological alterations in prefrontal white matter glia in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Supervised and unsupervised learning reveal heroin-induced impairments in astrocyte structural plasticity

Astrocytes regulate synaptic activity across large brain territories via their complex, interconnected morphology. Emerging evidence supports the involvement of astrocytes in shaping relapse to opioid use through morphological rearrangements in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, a comprehensive assessment of astrocyte structural diversity within and between NAc subdivisions is lacking because of limitations in existing methodologies to quantify meaningful alterations in astrocyte structure. We developed a methodological pipeline that integrates supervised and unsupervised learning techniques to rigorously quantify astrocyte morphological features and spatial organization across the brain, leveraging expression of cytoskeletal markers. Application of this pipeline reveals that morphological characteristics of individual astrocytes predict their location within the NAc. Our analysis also indicates that after heroin use, astrocyte structural plasticity is impaired in portions of the NAc associated with the extinction of conditioned responses and is uniquely engaged in the dorsomedial portion of the NAc shell, an undercharacterized subdivision of the structure.

Glial cell deficits are a key feature of schizophrenia: implications for neuronal circuit maintenance and histological differentiation from classical neurodegeneration

Dysfunctional glial cells play a pre-eminent role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Post-mortem studies have provided evidence for significantly decreased glial cell numbers in different brain regions of individuals with schizophrenia. Reduced glial cell numbers are most pronounced in oligodendroglia, but reduced astrocyte cell densities have also been reported. This review highlights that oligo- and astroglial deficits are a key histopathological feature in schizophrenia, distinct from typical changes seen in neurodegenerative disorders. Significant deficits of oligodendrocytes in schizophrenia may arise in two ways: (i) demise of mature functionally compromised oligodendrocytes; and (ii) lack of mature oligodendrocytes due to failed maturation of progenitor cells. We also analyse in detail the controversy regarding deficits of astrocytes. Regardless of their origin, glial cell deficits have several pathophysiological consequences. Among these, myelination deficits due to a reduced number of oligodendrocytes may be the most important factor, resulting in the disconnectivity between neurons and different brain regions observed in schizophrenia. When glial cells die, it appears to be through degeneration, a process which is basically reversible. Thus, therapeutic interventions that (i) help rescue glial cells (ii) or improve their maturation might be a viable option. Since antipsychotic treatment alone does not seem to prevent glial cell loss or maturation deficits, there is intense search for new therapeutic options. Current proposals range from the application of antidepressants and other chemical agents as well as physical exercise to engrafting healthy glial cells into brains of schizophrenia patients.

Neuroimmunometabolism: how metabolism orchestrates immune response in healthy and diseased brain

Neuroimmunometabolism describes how neuroimmune cells, such as microglia, adapt their intracellular metabolic pathways to alter their immune functions in the central nervous system (CNS). Emerging evidence indicates that neurons also orchestrate the microglia-mediated immune response through neuro-immune cross talk, perhaps through metabolic signaling. However, little is known about how the brain's metabolic microenvironment and microglial intracellular metabolism orchestrate the neuroimmune response in healthy and diseased brains. This review addresses the balance of immunometabolic substrates in healthy and diseased brains, their metabolism by brain-resident microglia, and the potential impact of metabolic dysregulation of these substrates on the neuroimmune response and pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. This review also suggests metabolic reprogramming of microglia as a preventive strategy for the management of neuroinflammation-related brain disorders, including psychiatric diseases.

Alterations in white matter microstructure in bipolar disorder patients with and without psychosis

OBJECTIVE

The overlap of affective disturbance and psychosis considerably makes it complex to determine the etiology of bipolar disorder (BD) and develop targeted interventions. The present study aimed to determine the white matter microstructural alterations that distinguish between BD with psychosis (BDP) and BD with no psychosis (BDNP) to identify patients who may specifically benefit from appropriately effective treatments.

METHODS

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images were acquired from 38 participants with BDP, 52 participants with BDNP and 70 healthy controls (HCs). The indices of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD) were computed and compared among the three groups via tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

RESULTS

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed the main effects of group on the FA, MD and RD values of the forceps minor (FMI) of the corpus callosum, right anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), and left corticospinal tract (CST). Post hoc analysis revealed that BDP patients had lower FA value in the FMI than HCs did, as well as lower FA and higher RD values in the FMI than BDNP patients did, whereas BDNP patients had lower FA and MD values in the right ATR, as well as higher FA and lower RD values in the left CST than HCs did.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide further insights into the specific neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the presence of psychosis in BD patients and represent potential objective biomarkers for differentiating between BDP and BDNP.

Long-term effects of a double hit murine model for schizophrenia on parvalbumin expressing cells and plasticity-related molecules in the thalamic reticular nucleus and the habenula

The exposure to aversive experiences during early-life affects brain maturation and induces changes in behavior. Additionally, when these experiences coincide with subtle neurodevelopmental alterations, they may contribute to the emergence of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. Studies in patients and animal models have identified changes in parvalbumin (PV) expressing inhibitory neurons, highlighting their significance in the etiology of this disorder. Most studies have been focused on the cortex, but PV+ neurons also provide inhibitory input to diencephalic regions, particularly to the thalamus (through cells in the thalamic reticular nucleus, TRN) and the habenula. Remarkably, alterations in both nuclei have been described in schizophrenia. Some of these changes in PV+ cells may be mediated by perineuronal nets (PNN), specialized regions of the extracellular matrix that often surround them and regulate their synaptic input and activity. Interestingly, the physiological maturation and integration of PV+ neurons, which involves the assembly of PNN, occurs during early postnatal life. Plasticity molecules associated to inhibitory neurons, such as PSA-NCAM, or NMDA receptors (NMDAR) can also influence the structure and function of these cells. Growing evidence also indicates that glial cells regulate the physiology of PV+ neurons by influencing their maturation and modulating their synaptic connectivity. To explore the impact of early-life aversive experiences and concomitant subtle neurodevelopmental alterations on diencephalic PV+ cells, we analyzed adult male mice subjected to a double-hit model (DHM) of schizophrenia, combining a single injection of an NMDAR antagonist at P7 and post-weaning social isolation. We observed that exploratory behavior, PV+ neurons and their associated PNN, as well as PSA-NCAM and NMDAR expression and glial cells, in the TRN and the habenula were affected by the DHM or one of its factors. To our knowledge, this is the first report on such alterations in these diencephalic structures in an animal model combining neurodevelopmental alterations and early-life stress during adolescence. Our findings complement previous work on PV+ neurons in cortical regions and underscore the importance of studying diencephalic inhibitory networks and their intricate interactions with aversive experiences and neurodevelopmental alterations during early life in the context of schizophrenia.

Corollary discharge and anomalous self-experiences in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: A specificity analysis

OBJECTIVE

The Corollary Discharge (CD) mechanism inhibits self-generated speech sound perception, appearing disrupted in schizophrenia and potentially contributing to Anomalous Self-Experiences (ASEs). However, it remains unclear if this alteration and its correlation with ASEs extend to other psychotic disorders.

METHODS

Electroencephalography was used to study the N1 Event-Related Potential (ERP) as an index of CD-mediated suppression in the auditory cortex across thirty-five participants with schizophrenia, twenty-six with bipolar disorder, and thirty healthy controls. Auditory N1 was elicited by two conditions: real-time listening to self-pronounced vowels while speaking through connected microphone and earphones (listen/talk -or talk condition in previous literature-) and passive listening to the same previously recorded self-uttered vowels (listen/no talk -or listen condition-).

RESULTS

N1 ERP amplitude was lower in the listen/talk condition compared to listen/no talk across all groups. However, N1 suppression was significantly reduced in schizophrenia, with bipolar patients showing intermediate attenuation between both groups (i.e., non-significantly different from controls). Furthermore, N1 suppression inversely correlated with ASEs severity only in schizophrenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Dysfunction of the CD mechanism may be a defining feature of schizophrenia, where it is connected to ASEs.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results corroborate previous findings linking auditory N1 ERP suppression with disrupted CD mechanism in schizophrenia, but not in bipolar disorder.

The blood-brain barrier in bipolar disorders: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorders (BD) are chronic, debilitating disorders. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been increasingly investigated in BD. This systematic review aimed to assess the available evidence on the relationship between BD and markers of BBB dysfunction.

METHODS

A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Web of Science was run where the primary outcomes were BBB markers such as S100B, albumin ratio, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), cell adhesion molecule (CAM), and tight junction proteins. Techniques included blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), post-mortem, genetic and imaging methods in BD compared to healthy controls.

RESULTS

55 studies were identified, 38 of which found an association between BD and markers of BBB dysfunction. 16/29 studies found increased blood/CSF albumin ratio, S100B, CAMs or MMP levels in BD participants compared to controls. 5/19 post-mortem studies found increased levels of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans, intercellular CAM, neurexin or claudin-5 mRNA in distinct locations throughout the brain in BD compared to controls. One imaging study identified extensive BBB leakage in 30 % of BD participants, compared to 0 % in controls.

LIMITATIONS

The diversity in methodologies used in the included studies makes direct comparison of results challenging. Furthermore, imaging methods are the gold standard, but only one study used them. Other markers are only indicative of BBB permeability.

CONCLUSIONS

This review suggests an association between BD and BBB dysfunction. Further research is needed to provide definite answers considering the existing literature's limitations, and to clarify whether this association provides a pathogenic mechanism, or is an epiphenomenon of BD.

The challenges to detect, quantify, and characterize viral reservoirs in the current antiretroviral era

A major barrier to cure HIV is the early generation of viral reservoirs in tissues. These viral reservoirs can contain intact or defective proviruses, but both generates low levels of viral proteins contribute to chronic bystander damage even in the ART era. Most viral reservoir detection techniques are limited to blood-based, reactivation, and sequencing assays that lack spatial properties to examine the contribution of the host's microenvironment to latency and cure efforts. Currently, little is known about the contribution of the microenvironment to viral reservoir survival, residual viral expression, and associated inflammation. Only a few spatiotemporal techniques are available, and fewer integrate spatial genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics into the analysis of the viral reservoir microenvironment-all essential components to cure HIV. During the development of these spatial techniques, many considerations need to be included in the analysis to avoid misinterpretation. This manuscript tries to clarify some critical concepts in viral reservoir detection by spatial techniques and the upcoming opportunities for cure efforts.

The emerging neuroimmune hypothesis of bipolar disorder: An updated overview of neuroimmune and microglial findings

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe and multifactorial disease, with onset usually in young adulthood, which follows a progressive course throughout life. Replicated epidemiological studies have suggested inflammatory mechanisms and neuroimmune risk factors as primary contributors to the onset and development of BD. While not all patients display overt markers of inflammation, significant evidence suggests that aberrant immune signaling contributes to all stages of the disease and seems to be mood phase dependent, likely explaining the heterogeneity of findings observed in this population. As the brain's immune cells, microglia orchestrate the brain's immune response and play a critical role in maintaining the brain's health across the lifespan. Microglia are also highly sensitive to environmental changes and respond to physiological and pathological events by adapting their functions, structure, and molecular expression. Recently, it has been highlighted that instead of a single population of cells, microglia comprise a heterogeneous community with specialized states adjusted according to the local molecular cues and intercellular interactions. Early evidence has highlighted the contribution of microglia to BD neuropathology, notably for severe outcomes, such as suicidality. However, the roles and diversity of microglial states in this disease are still largely undermined. This review brings an updated overview of current literature on the contribution of neuroimmune risk factors for the onset and progression of BD, the most prominent neuroimmune abnormalities (including biomarker, neuroimaging, ex vivo studies) and the most recent findings of microglial involvement in BD neuropathology. Combining these different shreds of evidence, we aim to propose a unifying hypothesis for BD pathophysiology centered on neuroimmune abnormalities and microglia. Also, we highlight the urgent need to apply novel multi-system biology approaches to characterize the diversity of microglial states and functions involved in this enigmatic disorder, which can open bright perspectives for novel biomarkers and therapeutic discoveries.

GABAergic and inflammatory changes in the frontal cortex following neonatal PCP plus isolation rearing, as a dual-hit neurodevelopmental model for schizophrenia

The pathogenesis of schizophrenia begins in early neurodevelopment and leads to excitatory-inhibitory imbalance. It is therefore essential that preclinical models used to understand disease, select drug targets and evaluate novel therapeutics encompass similar neurochemical deficits. One approach to improved preclinical modelling incorporates dual-hit neurodevelopmental insults, like neonatal administration of phencyclidine (PCP, to disrupt development of glutamatergic circuitry) then post-weaning isolation (Iso, to mimic adolescent social stress). We recently showed that male Lister-hooded rats exposed to PCP-Iso exhibit reduced hippocampal expression of the GABA interneuron marker calbindin. The current study expanded on this by investigating changes to additional populations of GABAergic interneurons in frontal cortical and hippocampal tissue from the same animals (by immunohistochemistry) as well as levels of GABA itself (via ELISA). Because inflammatory changes are also implicated in schizophrenia, we performed additional immunohistochemical evaluations of Iba-1 positive microglia as well as ELISA analysis of IL-6 in the same brain regions. Single-hit isolation-reared and dual-hit PCP-Iso rats both showed reduced parvalbumin immunoreactivity in the prelimbic/infralimbic region of the frontal cortex. However, this was more widespread in PCP-Iso, extending to the medial/ventral and lateral/dorsolateral orbitofrontal cortices. Loss of GABAergic markers was accompanied by increased microglial activation in the medial/ventral orbitofrontal cortices of PCP-Iso, together with frontal cortical IL-6 elevations not seen following single-hit isolation rearing. These findings enhance the face validity of PCP-Iso, and we advocate the use of this preclinical model for future evaluation of novel therapeutics-especially those designed to normalise excitatory-inhibitory imbalance or reduce neuroinflammation.

Microglia-neuron interactions in schizophrenia

Multiple lines of evidence implicate increased neuroinflammation mediated by glial cells to play a key role in neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Microglia, which are the primary innate immune cells of the brain, are crucial for the refinement of the synaptic circuitry during early brain development by synaptic pruning and the regulation of synaptic plasticity during adulthood. Schizophrenia risk factors as genetics or environmental influences may further be linked to increased activation of microglia, an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and activation of the inflammasome resulting in an overall elevated neuroinflammatory state in patients. Synaptic loss, one of the central pathological hallmarks of schizophrenia, is believed to be due to excess removal of synapses by activated microglia, primarily affecting glutamatergic neurons. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate microglia-neuron interactions, which has been done by multiple studies focusing on post-mortem brain tissues, brain imaging, animal models and patient iPSC-derived 2D culture systems. In this review, we summarize the major findings in patients and in vivo and in vitro models in the context of neuron-microglia interactions in schizophrenia and secondly discuss the potential of anti-inflammatory treatments for the alleviation of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms.

Cytomegalovirus antibodies are associated with mood disorders, suicide, markers of neuroinflammation, and microglia activation in postmortem brain samples

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common, neurotrophic herpesvirus that can be reactivated by inflammation and cause central nervous system disease. We hypothesize that CMV may contribute to the neuroinflammation that underlies some psychiatric disorders by (1) exacerbating inflammation through the induction of anti-viral immune responses, and (2) translating peripheral inflammation into neuroinflammation. We investigated whether the presence of anti-CMV antibodies in blood were associated with mental illness, suicide, neuroinflammation, and microglial density in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in postmortem samples. Data (n = 114 with schizophrenia; n = 78 with bipolar disorder; n = 87 with depression; n = 85 controls) were obtained from the Stanley Medical Research Institute. DLPFC gene expression data from a subset of 82 samples were categorized into "high" (n = 30), and "low" (n = 52) inflammation groups based on a recursive two-step cluster analysis using expression data for four inflammation-related genes. Measurements of the ratio of non-ramified to ramified microglia, a proxy of microglial activation, were available for a subset of 49 samples. All analyses controlled for age, sex, and ethnicity, as well as postmortem interval, and pH for gene expression and microglial outcomes. CMV seropositivity significantly increased the odds of a mood disorder diagnosis (bipolar disorder: OR = 2.45; major depression: OR = 3.70) and among the psychiatric samples, of suicide (OR = 2.09). Samples in the upper tercile of anti-CMV antibody titers were more likely to be members of the "high" inflammation group (OR = 4.41, an effect driven by schizophrenia and bipolar disorder samples). CMV positive samples also showed an increased ratio of non-ramified to ramified microglia in layer I of the DLPFC (Cohen's d = 0.81) as well as a non-significant increase in this ratio for the DLPFC as a whole (d = 0.56). The results raise the possibility that the reactivation of CMV contributes to the neuroinflammation that underlies some cases of psychiatric disorders.

Microglia-neuron interactions in prefrontal gray matter in schizophrenia: a postmortem ultrastructural morphometric study

This study addressed the question of whether the interaction between neurons and satellite microglia (SatMg) is abnormal in schizophrenia. SatMg-neuron communication at direct contacts between neuronal soma is essential for neuroplasticity as SatMg can regulate neuronal activity. A postmortem ultrastructural morphometric study was performed to investigate SatMg and adjacent neurons in layer 5 of the prefrontal cortex in 21 cases of schizophrenia and 20 healthy controls. Density of SatMg was significantly higher in the young schizophrenia group and in the group with illness duration ≤ 26 years as compared to controls. We found lower volume fraction (Vv) and the number (N) of mitochondria and higher Vv and N of lipofuscin granules and vacuoles in endoplasmic reticulum in SatMg in the schizophrenia compared to the control brain. These changes progressed with age and illness duration. A significantly higher soma area and Vv of vacuoles of endoplasmic reticulum were revealed in neurons in schizophrenia as compared to controls. Negative significant correlations between N of vacuoles in neurons and N of mitochondria in SatMg were found in the control group but not in the schizophrenia group. Area of vacuole in neurons was significantly positively correlated with Vv and area of mitochondria in SatMg in the control group and negatively in the schizophrenia group. Correlation coefficients between these parameters differed significantly between the groups. These results indicate disturbed SatMg-neuron interactions in the schizophrenia brain and suggest a key role of mitochondrial abnormalities in SatMg in these disturbances.

Astrocytes in human central nervous system diseases: a frontier for new therapies

Astroglia are a broad class of neural parenchymal cells primarily dedicated to homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Astroglia contribute to the pathophysiology of all neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental to disorder outcome. Pathophysiological changes in astroglia can be primary or secondary and can result in gain or loss of functions. Astroglia respond to external, non-cell autonomous signals associated with any form of CNS pathology by undergoing complex and variable changes in their structure, molecular expression, and function. In addition, internally driven, cell autonomous changes of astroglial innate properties can lead to CNS pathologies. Astroglial pathophysiology is complex, with different pathophysiological cell states and cell phenotypes that are context-specific and vary with disorder, disorder-stage, comorbidities, age, and sex. Here, we classify astroglial pathophysiology into (i) reactive astrogliosis, (ii) astroglial atrophy with loss of function, (iii) astroglial degeneration and death, and (iv) astrocytopathies characterised by aberrant forms that drive disease. We review astroglial pathophysiology across the spectrum of human CNS diseases and disorders, including neurotrauma, stroke, neuroinfection, autoimmune attack and epilepsy, as well as neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Characterising cellular and molecular mechanisms of astroglial pathophysiology represents a new frontier to identify novel therapeutic strategies.

Can Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Be Considered a Biomarker for Bipolar Disorder? An Analysis of the Current Evidence

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a key role in brain development, contributing to neuronal survival and neuroplasticity. Previous works have found that BDNF is involved in several neurological or psychiatric diseases. In this review, we aimed to collect all available data on BDNF and bipolar disorder (BD) and assess if BDNF could be considered a biomarker for BD. We searched the most relevant medical databases and included studies reporting original data on BDNF circulating levels or Val66Met polymorphism. Only articles including a direct comparison with healthy controls (HC) and patients diagnosed with BD according to international classification systems were included. Of the 2430 identified articles, 29 were included in the present review. Results of the present review show a reduction in BDNF circulating levels during acute phases of BD compared to HC, which increase after effective therapy of the disorders. The Val66Met polymorphism was related to features usually associated with worse outcomes. High heterogeneity has been observed regarding sample size, clinical differences of included patients, and data analysis approaches, reducing comparisons among studies. Although more studies are needed, BDNF seems to be a promising biomarker for BD.

Infectious diseases, autoantibodies, and autoimmunity

Infections are known to trigger flares of autoimmune diseases in humans and serve as an inciting cause of autoimmunity in animals. Evidence suggests a causative role of infections in triggering antigen-specific autoimmunity, previous thought mainly through antigen mimicry. However, an infection can induce bystander autoreactive T and B cell polyclonal activation, believed to result in non-pathogenic and pathogenic autoimmune responses. Lastly, epitope spreading in autoimmunity is a mechanism of epitope changes of autoreactive cells induced by infection, promoting the targeting of additional self-epitopes. This review highlights recent research findings, emphasizes infection-mediated autoimmune responses, and discusses the possible mechanisms involved.

A consideration of the increased risk of schizophrenia due to prenatal maternal stress, and the possible role of microglia

Schizophrenia is caused by interaction of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Of the latter, prenatal exposure to maternal stress is reportedly associated with elevated disease risk. The main orchestrators of inflammatory processes within the brain are microglia, and aberrant microglial activation/function has been proposed to contribute to the aetiology of schizophrenia. Here, we evaluate the epidemiological and preclinical evidence connecting prenatal stress to schizophrenia risk, and consider the possible mediating role of microglia in the prenatal stress-schizophrenia relationship. Epidemiological findings are rather consistent in supporting the association, albeit they are mitigated by effects of sex and gestational timing, while the evidence for microglial activation is more variable. Rodent models of prenatal stress generally report lasting effects on offspring neurobiology. However, many uncertainties remain as to the mechanisms underlying the influence of maternal stress on the developing foetal brain. Future studies should aim to characterise the exact processes mediating this aspect of schizophrenia risk, as well as focussing on how prenatal stress may interact with other risk factors.

A fatal alliance: Glial connexins, myelin pathology and mental disorders

Mature oligodendrocytes are myelin forming glial cells which are responsible for myelination of neuronal axons in the white matter of the central nervous system. Myelin pathology is a major feature of severe neurological disorders. Oligodendrocyte-specific gene mutations and/or white matter alterations have also been addressed in a variety of mental disorders. Breakdown of myelin integrity and demyelination is associated with severe symptoms, including impairments in motor coordination, breathing, dysarthria, perception (vision and hearing), and cognition. Furthermore, there is evidence indicating that myelin sheath defects and white matter pathology contributes to the affective and cognitive symptoms of patients with mental disorders. Oligodendrocytes express the connexins GJC2; mCx47 [human (GJC2) and mouse (mCx47) connexin gene nomenclature according to Söhl and Willecke (2003)], GJB1; mCx32, and GJD1; mCx29 in both white and gray matter. Preclinical findings indicate that alterations in connexin expression in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes can induce myelin defects. GJC2; mCx47 is expressed at early embryonic stages in oligodendrocyte precursors cells which precedes central nervous system myelination. In adult humans and animals GJC2, respectively mCx47 expression is essential for oligodendrocyte function and ensures adequate myelination as well as myelin maintenance in the central nervous system. In the past decade, evidence has accumulated suggesting that mental disorders can be accompanied by changes in connexin expression, myelin sheath defects and corresponding white matter alterations. This dual pathology could compromise inter-neuronal information transfer, processing and communication and eventually contribute to behavioral, sensory-motor, affective and cognitive symptoms in patients with mental disorders. The induction of myelin repair and remyelination in the central nervous system of patients with mental disorders could help to restore normal neuronal information propagation and ameliorate behavioral and cognitive symptoms in individuals with mental disorders.

Suicide in bipolar disorder patients is associated with hippocampal microglia activation and reduction of lymphocytes-activation gene 3 (LAG3) microglial checkpoint expression

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with marked functional impairments along with increased rate of suicide. Although there is ample evidence for the involvement of inflammatory processes and microglia activation in the pathophysiology of BD, the mechanisms that regulate these cells in BD patients, and particularly the role of microglia checkpoints, is still unclear.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical analyses of hippocampal sections from post-mortem brains of 15 BD patients and 12 control subjects were used to assess microglia density, by staining the microglia-specific receptor P2RY12, and microglia activation, by staining the activation marker MHC II. Given recent findings on the involvement of LAG3, which interacts with MHC II and serves as a negative microglia checkpoint, in depression and electroconvulsive therapy, we assessed the levels of LAG3 expression and their correlations with microglia density and activation.

RESULTS

There were no overall differences between BD patients and controls, but BD patients who committed suicide (N = 9) displayed a significant elevation in the overall microglia density and the density of MHC II-labeled microglia (but not other MHC II-labeled cells), compared with no suicide BD patients (N = 6) and controls. Furthermore, the percent of microglia expressing LAG3 was significantly reduced only in suicidal BD patients, with significant negative correlations between microglial LAG3 expression levels and the density of microglia, in general, and activated microglia, in particular.

CONCLUSION

Suicidal BD patients exhibit microglia activation, which is possibly mediated by reduced LAG3 checkpoint expression, suggesting that anti-microglial therapeutics, including LAG3 modulators, may be beneficial for this subgroup of patients.

Astrocyte regulation of synaptic signaling in psychiatric disorders

Over the last 15 years, the field of neuroscience has evolved toward recognizing the critical role of astroglia in shaping neuronal synaptic activity and along with the pre- and postsynapse is now considered an equal partner in tripartite synaptic transmission and plasticity. The relative youth of this recognition and a corresponding deficit in reagents and technologies for quantifying and manipulating astroglia relative to neurons continues to hamper advances in understanding tripartite synaptic physiology. Nonetheless, substantial advances have been made and are reviewed herein. We review the role of astroglia in synaptic function and regulation of behavior with an eye on how tripartite synapses figure into brain pathologies underlying behavioral impairments in psychiatric disorders, both from the perspective of measures in postmortem human brains and more subtle influences on tripartite synaptic regulation of behavior in animal models of psychiatric symptoms. Our goal is to provide the reader a well-referenced state-of-the-art understanding of current knowledge and predict what we may discover with deeper investigation of tripartite synapses using reagents and technologies not yet available.

Microglia sequelae: brain signature of innate immunity in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder with significant impact on individuals and society. The current pharmacologic treatment, which principally alleviates psychosis, is focused on neurotransmitters modulation, relying on drugs with severe side effects and ineffectiveness in a significant percentage of cases. Therefore, and due to difficulties inherent to diagnosis and treatment, it is vital to reassess alternative cellular and molecular drug targets. Distinct risk factors - genetic, developmental, epigenetic, and environmental - have been associated with disease onset and progression, giving rise to the proposal of different pathophysiological mechanisms and putative pharmacological targets. Immunity is involved and, particularly microglia - innate immune cells of the central nervous system, critically involved in brain development - have captured attention as cellular players. Microglia undergo marked morphologic and functional alterations in the human disease, as well as in animal models of schizophrenia, as reported in several original papers. We cluster the main findings of clinical studies by groups of patients: (1) at ultra-high risk of psychosis, (2) with a first episode of psychosis or recent-onset schizophrenia, and (3) with chronic schizophrenia; in translational studies, we highlight the time window of appearance of particular microglia alterations in the most well studied animal model in the field (maternal immune activation). The organization of clinical and translational findings based on schizophrenia-associated microglia changes in different phases of the disease course may help defining a temporal pattern of microglia changes and may drive the design of novel therapeutic strategies.

Gene Enrichment Analysis of Astrocyte Subtypes in Psychiatric Disorders and Psychotropic Medication Datasets

Astrocytes have many important functions in the brain, but their roles in psychiatric disorders and their responses to psychotropic medications are still being elucidated. Here, we used gene enrichment analysis to assess the relationships between different astrocyte subtypes, psychiatric diseases, and psychotropic medications (antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers). We also carried out qPCR analyses and "look-up" studies to assess the chronic effects of these drugs on astrocyte marker gene expression. Our bioinformatic analysis identified gene enrichment of different astrocyte subtypes in psychiatric disorders. The highest level of enrichment was found in schizophrenia, supporting a role for astrocytes in this disorder. We also found differential enrichment of astrocyte subtypes associated with specific biological processes, highlighting the complex responses of astrocytes under pathological conditions. Enrichment of protein phosphorylation in astrocytes and disease was confirmed by biochemical analysis. Analysis of LINCS chemical perturbagen gene signatures also found that kinase inhibitors were highly discordant with astrocyte-SCZ associated gene signatures. However, we found that common gene enrichment of different psychotropic medications and astrocyte subtypes was limited. These results were confirmed by "look-up" studies and qPCR analysis, which also reported little effect of psychotropic medications on common astrocyte marker gene expression, suggesting that astrocytes are not a primary target of these medications. Conversely, antipsychotic medication does affect astrocyte gene marker expression in postmortem schizophrenia brain tissue, supporting specific astrocyte responses in different pathological conditions. Overall, this study provides a unique view of astrocyte subtypes and the effect of medications on astrocytes in disease, which will contribute to our understanding of their role in psychiatric disorders and offers insights into targeting astrocytes therapeutically.

Correlation between S100B and severity of depression in MDD: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated elevated levels of the S100B protein (located in glial cells) in major depressive disorder (MDD) as compared to healthy controls. However, studies reporting correlation between S100B levels and depression severity have been conflicting.

METHODS

We investigated, through systematic review and meta-analysis, whether the correlation between S100B levels and depression severity is significant in patients with MDD. Pearson correlation coefficients reported in the individual studies were converted to Fisher's Z scores, then pooled using the random effects model. Meta-regression was used to test modifiers of the effect size.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies including 658 patients with MDD met eligibility criteria. No publication bias was observed. There was a significant and positive correlation between serum S100B level and depression severity (r = 0.204, z = 2.297, p = 0.022). A meta-regression determined that onset age of MDD and percentage of female participants are significant modifiers of this correlation. A moderate, but non-significant heterogeneity was observed in serum studies (44%).

CONCLUSION

As many studies have reported significantly increased levels of S100B in MDD compared to controls, this meta-analysis supports the assumption that the increase in S100B correlates with the severity of MDD. Additional studies investigating the precise biological connection between S100B and MDD are indicated.

Fate mapping of neural stem cell niches reveals distinct origins of human cortical astrocytes

Progenitors of the developing human neocortex reside in the ventricular and outer subventricular zones (VZ and OSVZ, respectively). However, whether cells derived from these niches have similar developmental fates is unknown. By performing fate mapping in primary human tissue, we demonstrate that astrocytes derived from these niches populate anatomically distinct layers. Cortical plate astrocytes emerge from VZ progenitors and proliferate locally, while putative white matter astrocytes are morphologically heterogeneous and emerge from both VZ and OSVZ progenitors. Furthermore, via single-cell sequencing of morphologically defined astrocyte subtypes using Patch-seq, we identify molecular distinctions between VZ-derived cortical plate astrocytes and OSVZ-derived white matter astrocytes that persist into adulthood. Together, our study highlights a complex role for cell lineage in the diversification of human neocortical astrocytes.

Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Central Nervous System Diseases and Mood Disorders

The glymphatic system, a recently discovered macroscopic waste removal system in the brain, has many unknown aspects, especially its driving forces and relationship with sleep, and thus further explorations of the relationship between the glymphatic system and a variety of possible related diseases are urgently needed. Here, we focus on the progress in current research on the role of the glymphatic system in several common central nervous system diseases and mood disorders, discuss the structural and functional abnormalities of the glymphatic system which may occur before or during the pathophysiological progress and the possible underlying mechanisms. We emphasize the relationship between sleep and the glymphatic system under pathological conditions and summarize the common imaging techniques for the glymphatic system currently available. The perfection of the glymphatic system hypothesis and the exploration of the effects of aging and endocrine factors on the central and peripheral regulatory pathways through the glymphatic system still require exploration in the future.

Insights into myelin dysfunction in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are disabling psychiatric disorders with a worldwide prevalence of approximately 1%. Both disorders present chronic and deteriorating prognoses that impose a large burden, not only on patients but also on society and health systems. These mental illnesses share several clinical and neurobiological traits; of these traits, oligodendroglial dysfunction and alterations to white matter (WM) tracts could underlie the disconnection between brain regions related to their symptomatic domains. WM is mainly composed of heavily myelinated axons and glial cells. Myelin internodes are discrete axon-wrapping membrane sheaths formed by oligodendrocyte processes. Myelin ensheathment allows fast and efficient conduction of nerve impulses through the nodes of Ranvier, improving the overall function of neuronal circuits. Rapid and precisely synchronized nerve impulse conduction through fibers that connect distant brain structures is crucial for higher-level functions, such as cognition, memory, mood, and language. Several cellular and subcellular anomalies related to myelin and oligodendrocytes have been found in postmortem samples from patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and neuroimaging techniques have revealed consistent alterations at the macroscale connectomic level in both disorders. In this work, evidence regarding these multilevel alterations in oligodendrocytes and myelinated tracts is discussed, and the involvement of proteins in key functions of the oligodendroglial lineage, such as oligodendrogenesis and myelination, is highlighted. The molecular components of the axo-myelin unit could be important targets for novel therapeutic approaches to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Glial Cell Abnormalities in Major Psychiatric Diseases: A Systematic Review of Postmortem Brain Studies

There have been a large number of reports about glial cell dysfunction being related to major psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). In this review, we provide an overview of postmortem studies analyzing the structural changes of glial cells in these three major psychiatric diseases, including the density, number and size of glial cells, and the expression of related markers. Up to May 1, 2021, 108 articles that met the inclusion criteria were identified by searching PubMed and Web of Science. Although most studies evaluating total glial cells did not show abnormalities in the brains of postmortem patients, astrocytes, microglial cells, and oligodendrocytes seem to have specific patterns of changes in each disease. For example, out of 20 studies that evaluated astrocyte markers in MDD, 11 studies found decreased astrocyte marker expression in MDD patients. Similarly, out of 25 studies evaluating oligodendrocyte markers in SCZ, 15 studies showed decreased expression of oligodendrocyte markers in different brain regions of SCZ patients. In addition, activated microglial cells were observed in patients with SCZ, BD, and MDD, but suicide may be a confounding factor for the observed effects. Although the data from the included studies were heterogeneous and this cannot be fully explained at present, it is likely that there are a variety of contributing factors, including the measured brain regions, methods of measurement, gender, age at time of death, and medications.

Glial changes in schizophrenia: Genetic and epigenetic approach

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental illness that affects one percent of the population, affecting how people think, feel, and behave. Evidence suggests glial cell alteration and some researchers have found genetic risk loci and epigenetic marks that may regulate glia-related genes implicated in SCZ.

AIM

The aim of this study is to identify genetic and epigenetic changes that have been reported in glial cells or glial-associated genes in SCZ.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched the articles from PubMed, PubMed Central, Medline, Medscape, and Embase databases up to December 2020 to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles in English. The titles and abstracts were screened to eliminate irrelevant citations.

RESULTS

Twenty-four original articles were included in the review. Studies were categorized into the following four thematic via: (1) oligodendrocytes, (2) microglia, (3) astrocytes, and (4) perspectives.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first of its kind to review research on genetic variants and epigenetic modifications associated with glia-related genes implicated in SCZ. Epigenetic evidence is considerably less than genetic evidence in this field. Understanding the pathways of some risk genes and their genetic and epigenetic regulation allows us to understand and find potential targets for future interventions in this mental illness.

Inflammatory Markers in Substance Use and Mood Disorders: A Neuroimaging Perspective

Chronic exposure to addictive drugs in substance use disorders and stressors in mood disorders render the brain more vulnerable to inflammation. Inflammation in the brain, or neuroinflammation, is characterized by gliosis, microglial activation, and sustained release of cytokines, chemokines, and pro-inflammatory factors compromising the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. There is increased curiosity in understanding how substance misuse and/or repeated stress exposure affect inflammation and contribute to abnormal neuronal activity, altered neuroplasticity, and impaired cognitive control, which eventually promote compulsive drug-use behaviors and worsen mood disorders. This review will emphasize human imaging studies to explore the link between brain function and peripheral markers of inflammation in substance use disorders and mood disorders.

Microglia activation in postmortem brains with schizophrenia demonstrates distinct morphological changes between brain regions

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a psychiatric disorder that can include symptoms of disorganized speech and thoughts with uncertain underlying mechanisms possibly linked to over-activated microglia. In this study, we used brain samples from sixteen donors with SCZ and thirteen control donors to assess the differential activation of microglia by quantifying density and 3D reconstruction of microglia stained with ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba1). Our samples consisted of sections from the frontal, temporal, and cingulate cortical gray matter, subcortical white matter regions (SCWM), and included the anterior corpus callosum. In the first series of studies, we performed a density analysis followed by a spatial analysis to ascertain the microglial density, distribution, and soma size in SCZ brains. Second, we performed a series of morphological quantification techniques to investigate the arborization patterns of the microglia in SCZ. The results demonstrated an increase in microglia density in the cortical gray matter regions in SCZ cases, while in the SCWM, there was a significant increase in microglia density in the frontal and temporal, but not in the other brain regions of interest (ROIs). Spatial analysis using the "nearest neighbor" demonstrated that there was no effect in "clustering", but there were shorter distances between microglia seen in the SCZ cases. The morphological measures showed that there was a region-dependent increase in the microglia soma size in the SCZ cases while the Sholl analysis revealed a significant decrease in the microglia arborization in the SCZ cases across all the ROI's studied. An in-depth 3D reconstruction of microglia in Brodmann area 9 cortical region found that there was a significant association between age and reduced microglial arborization in the SCZ cases. This region-dependent age association can help determine whether longitudinal changes in microglial activation across age are brain region-dependent, which may point to potential therapeutic targets.

Astrocytes in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex group of neuropsychiatric disorders, typically comprising both manic and depressive episodes. The underlying neuropathology of BD is not established, but a consistent feature is progressive thinning of cortical grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in specific pathways, due to loss of subpopulations of neurons and astrocytes, with accompanying disturbance of connectivity. Dysregulation of astrocyte homeostatic functions are implicated in BD, notably regulation of glutamate, calcium signalling, circadian rhythms and metabolism. Furthermore, the beneficial therapeutic effects of the frontline treatments for BD are due at least in part to their positive actions on astrocytes, notably lithium, valproic acid (VPA) and carbamazepine (CBZ), as well as antidepressants and antipsychotics that are used in the management of this disorder. Treatments for BD are ineffective in a large proportion of cases, and astrocytes represent new therapeutic targets that can also serve as biomarkers of illness progression and treatment responsiveness in BD.

Astrocytes in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Review of Postmortem Evidence

Glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS) include microglia, oligodendrocytes and the most diverse type, astrocytes. Clinical and experimental evidence suggest critical roles for astrocytes in the pathogenesis of CNS disease. Here, we summarize the extensive morphological heterogeneity and physiological properties of different astrocyte subtypes. We review postmortem studies, discussing astrocyte-related changes found in the brain in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Finally, we discuss the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. In summary, postmortem studies highlight that the morphology of astrocytes and the expression of functionally important astrocyte markers are altered in the brain in neuropsychiatric disorders and may play a role in the pathophysiology of these serious mental illnesses.

Morphological Features of Astrocytes in Health and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Astroglial cells actively partner with several cell types to regulate the arrangement of neuronal circuits both in the developing and adult brain. Morphological features of astroglial cells strongly impact their functional interactions, thereby supporting the hypothesis that aberrancies in glial morphology may trigger the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, understanding the factors which modulate astroglial shapes and the development of tools to examine them may help to gain valuable insights about the role of astroglia in physiological and pathological brain states.Here, we present a collection of representative review and original articles describing the major morphological features which define different subtypes of glial cells and emphasize a high degree of heterogeneity typical of these cell types, besides neurons. Furthermore, we offer an overview about first in vitro and in vivo evidences, which highlight an altered morphology of glial cells in brains of psychiatric patients and animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Transcriptomic Deconvolution of Dorsal Striata Reveals Increased Monocyte Fractions in Bipolar Disorder

Introduction

Accumulating evidence suggests a relationship between the immune system, neuroinflammation, and mood disorders such as bipolar disorder (BD). However, the immunological landscape of critical brain structures implicated with BD, such as the dorsal striatum, has yet to be characterized. This study sought to investigate the immunological composition of dorsal striata in patients with BD.

Methods

CIBERSORTx, an established RNA deconvolution algorithm, was applied on RNA-sequencing data developed from dorsal striata of 18 BD patients and 17 controls. A validated gene signature matrix for 22 human hematopoietic cell subsets was used to infer the relative proportions of immune cells that were present in the original brain tissue.

Results

Deconvolution of the bulk gene expression data showed that dorsal striata from BD subjects had a significantly greater relative abundance of monocytes compared to control samples.

Conclusion

Monocytes may play a role in the pathogenesis of BD in dorsal striata. Further studies are warranted to confirm the computational results presented herein.

A human iPSC-astroglia neurodevelopmental model reveals divergent transcriptomic patterns in schizophrenia

While neurodevelopmental abnormalities have been associated with schizophrenia (SCZ), the role of astroglia in disease pathophysiology remains poorly understood. In the present study, we used a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocyte model to investigate the temporal patterns of astroglia differentiation during developmental stages critical for SCZ using RNA sequencing. The model generated astrocyte-specific gene expression patterns during differentiation that corresponded well to astroglia-specific expression signatures of in vivo cortical fetal development. Using this model we identified SCZ-specific expression dynamics, and found that SCZ-associated differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the medial prefrontal cortex, striatum, and temporal lobe, targeting VWA5A and ADAMTS19. In addition, SCZ astrocytes displayed alterations in calcium signaling, and significantly decreased glutamate uptake and metalloproteinase activity relative to controls. These results implicate novel transcriptional dynamics in astrocyte differentiation in SCZ together with functional changes that are potentially important biological components of SCZ pathology.

Neuroinflammation in schizophrenia: the role of nuclear factor kappa B

Neuroinflammation, particularly in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, is well-established in a subset of people with schizophrenia, with significant increases in inflammatory markers including several cytokines. Yet the cause(s) of cortical inflammation in schizophrenia remains unknown. Clues as to potential microenvironmental triggers and/or intracellular deficits in immunoregulation may be gleaned from looking further upstream of effector immune molecules to transcription factors that control inflammatory gene expression. Here, we focus on the 'master immune regulator' nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and review evidence in support of NF-κB dysregulation causing or contributing to neuroinflammation in patients. We discuss the utility of 'immune biotyping' as a tool to analyse immune-related transcripts and proteins in patient tissue, and the insights into cortical NF-κB in schizophrenia revealed by immune biotyping compared to studies treating patients as a single, homogenous group. Though the ubiquitous nature of NF-κB presents several hurdles for drug development, targeting this key immunoregulator with novel or repurposed therapeutics in schizophrenia is a relatively underexplored area that could aid in reducing symptoms of patients with active neuroinflammation.

Role of Astrocytes in Major Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Astrocytes are the primary homeostatic cells of the central nervous system, essential for normal neuronal development and function, metabolism and response to injury and inflammation. Here, we review postmortem studies examining changes in astrocytes in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BPD). We discuss the astrocyte-related changes described in the brain in these disorders and the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. Finally, we describe emerging tools that can be used to study the role of astrocytes in neuropsychiatric illness.

The emerging tale of microglia in psychiatric disorders

As the professional phagocytes of the brain, microglia orchestrate the immunological response and play an increasingly important role in maintaining homeostatic brain functions. Microglia are activated by pathological events or slight alterations in brain homeostasis. This activation is dependent on the context and type of stressor or pathology. Through secretion of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, microglia can strongly influence the response to a stressor and can, therefore, determine the pathological outcome. Psychopathologies have repeatedly been associated with long-lasting priming and sensitization of cerebral microglia. This review focuses on the diversity of microglial phenotype and function in health and psychiatric disease. We first discuss the diverse homeostatic functions performed by microglia and then elaborate on context-specific spatial and temporal microglial heterogeneity. Subsequently, we summarize microglia involvement in psychopathologies, namely major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with a particular focus on post-mortem studies. Finally, we postulate microglia as a promising novel therapeutic target in psychiatry through antidepressant and antipsychotic treatment.

Hidden Role of Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Schizophrenia: Antipsychotics or Psychobiotics as Therapeutics?

Schizophrenia is a chronic, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder that has complex symptoms and uncertain etiology. Mounting evidence indicates the involvement of genetics and epigenetic disturbances, alteration in gut microbiome, immune system abnormalities, and environmental influence in the disease, but a single root cause and mechanism involved has yet to be conclusively determined. Consequently, the identification of diagnostic markers and the development of psychotic drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia faces a high failure rate. This article surveys the etiology of schizophrenia with a particular focus on gut microbiota regulation and the microbial signaling system that correlates with the brain through the vagus nerve, enteric nervous system, immune system, and production of postbiotics. Gut microbially produced molecules may lay the groundwork for further investigations into the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Current treatment of schizophrenia is limited to psychotherapy and antipsychotic drugs that have significant side effects. Therefore, alternative therapeutic options merit exploration. The use of psychobiotics alone or in combination with antipsychotics may promote the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In view of the individual gut microbiome structure and personalized response to antipsychotic drugs, a tailored and targeted manipulation of gut microbial diversity naturally by novel prebiotics (non-digestible fiber) may be a successful alternative therapeutic for the treatment of schizophrenia patients.

Hidden Role of Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Schizophrenia: Antipsychotics or Psychobiotics as Therapeutics?

Schizophrenia is a chronic, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder that has complex symptoms and uncertain etiology. Mounting evidence indicates the involvement of genetics and epigenetic disturbances, alteration in gut microbiome, immune system abnormalities, and environmental influence in the disease, but a single root cause and mechanism involved has yet to be conclusively determined. Consequently, the identification of diagnostic markers and the development of psychotic drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia faces a high failure rate. This article surveys the etiology of schizophrenia with a particular focus on gut microbiota regulation and the microbial signaling system that correlates with the brain through the vagus nerve, enteric nervous system, immune system, and production of postbiotics. Gut microbially produced molecules may lay the groundwork for further investigations into the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Current treatment of schizophrenia is limited to psychotherapy and antipsychotic drugs that have significant side effects. Therefore, alternative therapeutic options merit exploration. The use of psychobiotics alone or in combination with antipsychotics may promote the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In view of the individual gut microbiome structure and personalized response to antipsychotic drugs, a tailored and targeted manipulation of gut microbial diversity naturally by novel prebiotics (non-digestible fiber) may be a successful alternative therapeutic for the treatment of schizophrenia patients.

A loss of mature microglial markers without immune activation in schizophrenia

Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, are important for neurodevelopment and have been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SCZ). Although previous postmortem studies pointed toward presence of microglial activation, this view has been challenged by more recent hypothesis-driven and hypothesis-free analyses. The aim of the present study is to further understand the observed microglial changes in SCZ. We first performed a detailed meta-analysis on studies that analyzed microglial cell density, microglial morphology, and expression of microglial-specific markers. We then further explored findings from the temporal cortex by performing immunostainings and qPCRs on an additional dataset. A random effect meta-analysis showed that the density of microglial cells was unaltered in SCZ (ES: 0.144 95% CI: 0.102 to 0.390, p = .250), and clear changes in microglial morphology were also absent. The expression of several microglial specific genes, such as CX3CR1, CSF1R, IRF8, OLR1, and TMEM119 was decreased in SCZ (ES: -0.417 95% CI: -0.417 to -0.546, p < .0001), consistent with genome-wide transcriptome meta-analysis results. These results indicate a change in microglial phenotype rather than density, which was validated with the use of TMEM119/Iba1 immunostainings on temporal cortex of a separate cohort. Changes in microglial gene expression were overlapping between SCZ and other psychiatric disorders, but largely opposite from changes reported in Alzheimer's disease. This distinct microglial phenotype provides a crucial molecular hallmark for future research into the role of microglia in SCZ and other psychiatric disorders.

An overview of the human brain myelin proteome and differences associated with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES

Disturbances in the myelin sheath drive disruptions in neural transmission and brain connectivity as seen in schizophrenia. Here, the myelin proteome was characterised in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls to visualise differences in proteomic profiles.

METHODS

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomic analysis was performed of a myelin-enriched fraction of postmortem brain samples from schizophrenia patients (n = 12) and mentally healthy controls (n = 8). In silico pathway analyses were performed on the resulting data.

RESULTS

The present characterisation of the human myelinome led to the identification of 480 non-redundant proteins, of which 102 proteins are newly annotated to be associated with the myelinome. Levels of 172 of these proteins were altered between schizophrenia patients and controls. These proteins were mainly associated with glial cell differentiation, metabolism/energy, synaptic vesicle function and neurodegeneration. The hub proteins with the highest degree of connectivity in the network included multiple kinases and synaptic vesicle transport proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

Together these findings suggest disruptive effects on synaptic activity and therefore neural transmission and connectivity, consistent with the dysconnectivity hypothesis of schizophrenia. Further studies on these proteins may lead to the identification of potential drug targets related to the synaptic dysconnectivity in schizophrenia and other psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

Implication of cerebral astrocytes in major depression: A review of fine neuroanatomical evidence in humans

Postmortem investigations have implicated astrocytes in many neurological and psychiatric conditions. Multiple brain regions from individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) have lower expression levels of astrocyte markers and lower densities of astrocytes labeled for these markers, suggesting a loss of astrocytes in this mental illness. This paper reviews the general properties of human astrocytes, the methods to study them, and the postmortem evidence for astrocyte pathology in MDD. When comparing astrocyte density and morphometry studies, astrocytes are more abundant and smaller in human subcortical than cortical brain regions, and immunohistochemical labeling for the astrocyte markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (VIM) reveals fewer than 15% of all astrocytes that are present in cortical and subcortical regions, as revealed using other staining techniques. By combining astrocyte densities and morphometry, a model was made to illustrate that domain organization is mostly limited to GFAP-IR astrocytes. Using these markers and others, alterations of astrocyte densities appear more widespread than those for astrocyte morphologies throughout the brain of individuals having died with MDD. This review suggests how reduced astrocyte densities may relate to the association of depressive episodes in MDD with elevated S100 beta (S100B) cerebrospinal fluid serum levels. Finally, a potassium imbalance theory is proposed that integrates the reduced astrocyte densities generated from postmortem studies with a hypothesis for the antidepressant effects of ketamine generated from rodent studies.

Markers of copper transport in the cingulum bundle in schizophrenia

Imaging and postmortem studies indicate that schizophrenia subjects exhibit abnormal connectivity in several white matter tracts, including the cingulum bundle. Copper chelators given to experimental animals damage myelin and myelin-producing oligodendrocytes, and the substantia nigra of schizophrenia subjects shows lower levels of copper, copper transporters, and copper-utilizing enzymes. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of copper homeostasis in white matter pathology in schizophrenia. Protein levels of the copper transporters ATP7A and CTR1, and dysbindin-1, an upstream modulator of copper metabolism and schizophrenia susceptibility factor, were measured using Western blot analyses of the postmortem cingulum bundle of schizophrenia subjects (n=16) and matched controls (n=13). Additionally, the patient group was subdivided by treatment status: off- (n=8) or on-medication (n=8). Relationships between proteins from the current study were correlated among themselves and markers of axonal integrity previously measured in the same cohort. Schizophrenia subjects exhibited similar protein levels to controls, with no effect of antipsychotic treatment. The dysbindin-1A/1BC relationship was positive in controls and schizophrenia subjects; however, antipsychotic treatment appeared to reverse this relationship in a statistically different manner from that of controls and unmedicated subjects. The relationships between dysbindin-1A/neurofilament heavy and ATP7A/α-tubulin were positively correlated in the schizophrenia group that was significantly different from the lack of correlation in controls. Copper transporters and dysbindin-1 appear to be more significantly affected in the grey matter of schizophrenia subjects. However, the relationships among proteins in white matter may be more substantial and dependent on treatment status.

Glymphatic Dysfunction: A Bridge Between Sleep Disturbance and Mood Disorders

Mounting evidence demonstrates a close relationship between sleep disturbance and mood disorders, including major depression disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). According to the classical two-process model of sleep regulation, circadian rhythms driven by the light-dark cycle, and sleep homeostasis modulated by the sleep-wake cycle are disrupted in mood disorders. However, the exact mechanism of interaction between sleep and mood disorders remains unclear. Recent discovery of the glymphatic system and its dynamic fluctuation with sleep provide a plausible explanation. The diurnal variation of the glymphatic circulation is dependent on the astrocytic activity and polarization of water channel protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4). Both animal and human studies have reported suppressed glymphatic transport, abnormal astrocytes, and depolarized AQP4 in mood disorders. In this study, the "glymphatic dysfunction" hypothesis which suggests that the dysfunctional glymphatic pathway serves as a bridge between sleep disturbance and mood disorders is proposed.

The Inflamed Brain in Schizophrenia: The Convergence of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors That Lead to Uncontrolled Neuroinflammation

Schizophrenia is a disorder with a heterogeneous etiology involving complex interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors. The immune system is now known to play vital roles in nervous system function and pathology through regulating neuronal and glial development, synaptic plasticity, and behavior. In this regard, the immune system is positioned as a common link between the seemingly diverse genetic and environmental risk factors for schizophrenia. Synthesizing information about how the immune-brain axis is affected by multiple factors and how these factors might interact in schizophrenia is necessary to better understand the pathogenesis of this disease. Such knowledge will aid in the development of more translatable animal models that may lead to effective therapeutic interventions. Here, we provide an overview of the genetic risk factors for schizophrenia that modulate immune function. We also explore environmental factors for schizophrenia including exposure to pollution, gut dysbiosis, maternal immune activation and early-life stress, and how the consequences of these risk factors are linked to microglial function and dysfunction. We also propose that morphological and signaling deficits of the blood-brain barrier, as observed in some individuals with schizophrenia, can act as a gateway between peripheral and central nervous system inflammation, thus affecting microglia in their essential functions. Finally, we describe the diverse roles that microglia play in response to neuroinflammation and their impact on brain development and homeostasis, as well as schizophrenia pathophysiology.

Affective Immunology: The Crosstalk Between Microglia and Astrocytes Plays Key Role?

Emerging evidence demonstrates the critical role of the immune response in the mechanisms relating to mood disorders, such as major depression (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). This has cast a spotlight on a specialized branch committed to the research of dynamics of the fine interaction between emotion (or affection) and immune response, which has been termed as “affective immunology.” Inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiota are actively involved in affective immunology. Furthermore, abnormalities of the astrocytes and microglia have been observed in mood disorders from both postmortem and molecular imaging studies; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Notably, the crosstalk between astrocyte and microglia acts as a mutual and pivotal intermediary factor modulating the immune response posed by inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiota. In this study, we propose the “altered astrocyte-microglia crosstalk (AAMC)” hypothesis which suggests that the astrocyte-microglia crosstalk regulates emotional alteration through mediating immune response, and thus, contributing to the development of mood disorders.

The neuropathology of bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis

Various neuropathological findings have been reported in bipolar disorder (BD). However, it is unclear which findings are well established. To address this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the literature. We searched over 5000 publications, identifying 103 data papers, of which 81 were eligible for inclusion. Our main findings can be summarised as follows. First, most studies have relied on a limited number of brain collections, and have used relatively small sample sizes (averaging 12 BD cases and 15 controls). Second, surprisingly few studies have attempted to replicate closely a previous one, precluding substantial meta-analyses, such that the latter were all limited to two studies each, and comprising 16-36 BD cases and 16-74 controls. As such, no neuropathological findings can be considered to have been established beyond reasonable doubt. Nevertheless, there are several replicated positive findings in BD, including decreased cortical thickness and glial density in subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, reduced neuronal density in some amygdalar nuclei, and decreased calbindin-positive neuron density in prefrontal cortex. Many other positive findings have also been reported, but with limited or contradictory evidence. As an important negative result, it can be concluded that gliosis is not a feature of BD; neither is there neuropathological evidence for an inflammatory process.

Microglial Pruning of Synapses in the Prefrontal Cortex During Adolescence

Exaggerated synaptic elimination in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during adolescence has been suggested to contribute to the neuropathological changes of schizophrenia. Recent data indicate that microglia (MG) sculpt synapses during early postnatal development. However, it is not known if MG contribute to the structural maturation of the PFC, which has a protracted postnatal development. We determined if MG are involved in developmentally specific synapse elimination in the PFC, focusing on adolescence. Layer 5 PFC pyramidal cells (PCs) were intracellularly filled with Lucifer Yellow for dendritic spine measurements in postnatal day (P) 24, P30, P35, P39, and P50 rats. In the contralateral PFC we evaluated if MG engulfed presynaptic (glutamatergic) and postsynaptic (dendritic spines) elements. Dendritic spine density increased from P24 to P35, when spine density peaked. There was a significant increase in MG engulfment of spines at P39 relative to earlier ages; this subsided by P50. MG also phagocytosed presynaptic glutamatergic terminals. These data indicate that MG transiently prune synapses of PFC PCs during adolescence, when the symptoms of schizophrenia typically first appear. An increase in MG-mediated synaptic remodeling of PFC PCs may contribute to the structural changes observed in schizophrenia.