Article
Morphological alterations of astrocytes in the hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Morphologische Veränderungen der Astrozyten im Hippcoampus von Patienten mit der Temporallappenepilepsie
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Published: | May 8, 2006 |
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Objective: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most frequent form of pharmacoresistant epilepsy. In most cases the morphological correlate is Ammon“s horn sclerosis. This is characterised by neuronal loss and glial sclerosis in the hippocampal regions CA1 und hilus. Whereas the neuronal loss has attracted most attention in the past, the glial changes remained neglected.
Methods: We have therefore examined the morphological alterations of astrocytes in the sclerotic region CA1 of hippocampi of patients with TLE by using a Golgi impregnation procedure adapted to examine neurosurgical human specimens. The morphological analysis was performed with a computer-assisted Camera lucida system.
Results: We found that in the sclerotic CA1 region astrocytes have fewer and shorter cytoplasmic processes. Their intersections are increased within an area extending 20 µm from the middle of the cell body, and within this area they branch more frequently. Astrocytes in the neighbouring non-sclerotic CA3 region have longer processes which branch less frequently.
Conclusions: The morphological alterations of CA1 astrocytes correlate most likely with reactive gliosis as described in experimental animal models. Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft: TR-3