PhD Scientific Days 2024

Poster Session D - Neurosciences 1.

Exploring trends in interneuronal diversity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and caudate nucleus in primates

Text of the abstract

Introduction: Calretinin (CR)-immunopositive interneurons represent a major class of interneurons both in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the caudate nucleus (NC). The diversification of CR-immunopositive interneurons in primate brain evolution has been reported by transcriptomic and neurohistological studies (Krienen et al. 2019). Nevertheless, no comprehensive investigation has been carried out regarding the topography of CR subclasses and their functional diversity in closely related non-human primate species. Clinical relevance of the scope of our study is underlined by the fact that CR-immunopositive interneurons play a prominent role in excitatory/inhibitory imbalance observed in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Aims: Our study aims to harness the opportunity provided by the Primate Brain Collection (Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Semmelweis University) and provide quantitative and qualitative investigation of CR subtypes in several primate species.
Methods: Our research mainly involves postmortem quantitative immunohistochemical analysis. The stained section are digitalized by a 3DHistech whole slide scanner and the labeled cells is annotated in Aperio Image Scope software.
Results: The CR-immunopositive interneuron density of the NC was lower in the hominoid species Pongo pygmaeus and Papio hamadryas (~1500 cells/cm2) than in the New World monkeys, for example in the Saimiri sciureus and Saguinus oedipus (more than 2000 cells/cm2).
Conclusion: Results represent the first stage of an initiative that aims to provide a comprehensive view on the cellular changes of the NC during primate brain evolution. As ”nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” (Dobzhansky, 1973), exploring trends in primate interneuronal diversity in the DLPFC and NC will help to understanding the patomechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Funding: The project was funded by the Institutional Excellence in Higher Education Grant (FIKP, Semmelweis University), Semmelweis Fund for Science and Innovation 2018-21, Semmelweis Departmental Start-up Grant, the Science and Technology Fund 2019-21 (NKFIH), the ÚNKP-21 Bolyai (MTA) /Bolyai+ (NKFIH) Grants and the Thematic Excellence Programme 2021-25.