Download PDF
Neuropediatrics 1993; 24(4): 200-203
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1071539
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Correlation of Astrogliosis and Substance P Immunoreactivity in the Brainstem of Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

H.  Yamanouchi1,2 , S.  Takashima2 , L. E. Becker3
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
  • 2Division of Mental Retardation and Birth Defect Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
  • 3Department of Pathology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
19 March 2008 (online)

  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Substance P is a neuropeptide localized to selected neurons some of which may be involved in respiratory regulation. Substance P appears to be increased in the brainstem under conditions of hypoxia. A quantitative analysis of immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein and substance P in the pons of 20 SIDS victims showed astroglial proliferation in the reticular formation and pontine nuclei and an increase of substance P in trigeminal fibers compared with age-matched controls. These observations suggest that in SIDS the neurons in the vicinity of the astrogliosis may be altered as indicated by the apparent increased expression of substance P, although the functional significance of this change on respiratory control is undetermined.

Key words

Sudden infant death syndrome - Substance P - Astrogliosis - Brainstem

      >