Astrocytic clasmatodendrosis in the cerebral cortex of methamphetamine abusers  

作　　者：Zhiyong Zhang Qingjin Gong Xueying Feng Dongchuan Zhang Li Quan 

机构地区：[1]Department of Forensic Pathology,Zhongshan School of Medicine,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou,China [2]Forensic Science Center,Shunde Branch of Foshan Public Security Bureau,Foshan,China [3]Shanghai Key Laboratory of Crime Scene Evidence,Shanghai Institute of Forensic Science,Shanghai,China

出　　处：《Forensic Sciences Research》2017年第3期139-144,共6页法庭科学研究（英文）

基　　金：funded by Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province[Grant Number 2015A030313110];Shanghai Key Lab of Forensic Medicine[Grant Number KF1503].

摘　　要：Postmortem investigation of methamphetamine(MA)abuse is an important task in forensic pathology.The present study investigated morphological changes in the astrocytes in the parietal cerebral cortex of MA abusers.Glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity in the cerebral cortex was examined in forensic autopsy cases for MA-detected group and control group.Clasmatodendrotic astrocytes(including those with swollen cell bodies and disintegrating distal processes)were frequently observed in the cerebral cortex of MA abusers.Quantitative analysis using a colour image processor showed a concomitant increase in the astrocyte area and astrocyte-to-vessel area ratio(size and number of astrocytes)in the grey matter in acute MA fatality and other MA-involved cases,although the astrocyte area(size)was also increased in cases of asphyxiation.The total astrocyte area(size)in the white matter was significantly higher in MA fatalities and asphyxia than in the other groups involving MA abusers.Those indices were independent of blood MA level,age,sex,survival or postmortem time.These observations suggest the increasing number and hypertrophic changes of astrocytes in the grey matter in MA abusers can be the outcome of long-term abuse,while disintegrating distal processes may exist only in acute fatal MA intoxication.

关 键 词：Forensic science forensic pathology IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY METHAMPHETAMINE human brain ASTROCYTE clasmatodendrosis 

分 类 号：R74[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]