Widespread Decrease of Cerebral Vimentin-Immunoreactive Astrocytes in Depressed Suicides

Post-mortem investigations have implicated cerebral astrocytes immunoreactive (-IR) for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the etiopathology of depression and suicide. However, it remains unclear whether astrocytic subpopulations IR other markers are similarly affected. Astrocytes to vimentin (VIM) display different regional densities than GFAP-IR healthy brain, so may be differently altered To investigate this, we compared VIM-IR post-mortem brain samples from depressed suicides matched non-psychiatric controls three regions (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, dorsal caudate nucleus mediodorsal thalamus). A quantitative comparison fine morphology was also performed same subjects. Finally, given close association between blood vessels, assessed CD31-IR vessels. Like astrocytes, astrocyte were found globally reduced relative controls. By contrast, vessel density morphometric features these similar groups, except white matter, which vascularization increased displayed fewer primary processes. revealing a widespread reduction cases vs. controls, findings further implicate dysfunctions