Morphometric analysis of neuronal and glial cell pathology in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in late-life depression

Abstract

BackgroundLate-life depression has been associated with cerebrovascular disease and especially with ischaemic white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroimaging and morphometric studies have identified abnormalities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.AimsTo examine glial and neuronal density and neuronal volume in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in late-life major depression.MethodWe used the disector and nucleator methods to estimate neuronal density and volume and glial density of cells in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a post-mortem study of 17 individuals with late-life major depression and 10 age-matched controls.ResultsWe found a reduction in the volume of pyramidal neurones in the whole cortex, which was also present in layer 3 and more markedly in layer 5. There were no comparable changes in non-pyramidal neurones and no glial differences.ConclusionsOverall, we found a decrease in pyramidal neuronal size in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in late-life depression.