Reduced Capillary Density in the Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia

Abstract

Neuroimaging studies have shown that the core symptoms of schizophrenia are associated with local changes of cerebral blood flow, particularly in the frontal cortex. Previously we reported ultrastructural damage of capillaries in the upper layers of the prefrontal cortex, Brodmann’s area (BA) 10 and in the visual cortex, BA schizophrenia. An electron microscopic morphometric study was performed to estimate capillary area density (N cap/mm2) in two upper layers of the prefrontal and visual cortices in 26 cases of schizophrenia and 26 normal controls. Capillary area density was lower in the prefrontal cortex in the schizophrenia group (-24%, p