Susana G. Torres-Platas

TL;DR: The morphology and distribution of cells immunostained for the macrophage-specific marker ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA1) in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) white matter of middle-aged depressed suicides and matched non-psychiatric controls suggest that the previously reported depression- and suicide-associated increases in circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines may be associated with low-grade cerebral neuroinflammation involving the recruitment of circulating monocytes.

TL;DR: This first direct comparison of human and mouse microglia reveals that these brain cells are morphologically similar across species, suggesting highly conserved functions.

TL;DR: The presence of hypertrophic astrocytes in BA24 white matter is consistent with reports suggesting white matter alterations in depression, and provides further support to the neuroinflammatory theory of depression.

TL;DR: This study reveals that astrocytic abnormalities are not brain wide and suggests that they are restricted to cortical and subcortical networks known to be affected in mood disorders, and shows a greater diversity in human astroCytic phenotypes than previously thought.

TL;DR: Findings support the notion of widespread cerebral astrocytic dysfunction in major depressive disorder by finding a consistent downregulation of connexin genes in all regions examined, except in the cerebellum where an increase in the expression of CX30 was measured.