Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38 - A024
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-918646

A decreased cell density in the lateral septal nucleus in bipolar patients and the reversed effects of lithium treatment

R Brisch 1, HG Bernstein 1, D Krell 1, R Stauch 1, K Trübner 2, H Dobrowolny 1, T Gos 1, H Bielau 1, B Bogerts 1
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Magdeburg
  • 2Institut für Rechtsmedizin Universität Essen

Objective: The goal of this study was to characterize the septal nuclei in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder and matched control cases by measuring neuron density and size.

Materials and Methods: Morphomertric measurements were performed in post-mortem brains of septal nuclei in schizophrenic patients (N=17), bipolar patients (N=6), unipolar patients (N=4) and matched control cases (N=10).

Results: Bipolar patients exhibited a significant smaller cell density in the lateral septal nucleus. Furthermore, there was a trend towards a positive correlation between cell density in the lateral septal nucleus and lithium treatment in bipolar patients.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that neurogenesis might be caused in the lateral septal nucleus by lithium treatment in bipolar patients.

Acknowledgements: This study was supported by NBL–3 (PP4) and the Stanley-Foundation.