Apoptosis in Subicular Neurons: A Comparison between Suicide and Addison's Disease

Background: Stress and depression shows possible links to neuronal death in hippocampus. Subiculum plays a prominent role in limbic stress integration and direct effect of corticosteroids on subicular neurons needs to be defined to assess its subsequent impact on hippocampal plasticity. Aim: This study was intended to assess apoptosis in subicular neurons of a young depressed suicide victim, where presumably stress induced excess of corticosteroids and a case of young Addison's disease with low level of corticosteroids. Materials and Method: Both bilateral adrenal glands (Addison's) and subiculum (both cases) were initially stained with hematoxylin and eosin; subicular neurons of both cases were examined for the degree of apoptosis using 'ApopTag Kit'. Apoptotic cell counts were expressed as average number of labeled cells/mm 2 and the results were analysed statistically using a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Result: Apoptotic neurons were detected in the subicular region of both suicide and Addison victims, and it is statistically significant in both right and left between the cases ( P P P > 0.05). Conclusion: The present study confirms the vulnerability of the subicular neurons to apoptosis, possibly due to corticosteroids in both ends of spectrum.