Budapest, March 15, 2025 – The Europe Today: Researchers at the HUN-REN Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM) have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the human hippocampus, identifying crucial cell groups in various layers. This discovery holds great potential for advancing research on diseases like schizophrenia, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s, as reported on the institute’s official website. The study has earned a prestigious spot on the cover of the March issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
The hippocampus is vital for learning and memory, and disruptions in its function are linked to numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders. Achieving a deeper understanding of this brain region requires computer models based on accurate quantitative data, such as the number of cells in different groups and their synaptic networks.
While extensive data exists regarding the neuronal composition and synaptic structure of the rodent hippocampus, knowledge of the human hippocampus remains limited. One of the primary challenges lies in acquiring well-preserved brain samples collected within 3.5 hours after death, a highly demanding and rare process.
Under the leadership of Gábor Nyiri, the HUN-REN IEM research team utilized stereological methods to estimate the total cell number of three main inhibitory cell groups in various hippocampal layers. Additionally, they employed 3D electron microscopy to calculate the total number of inhibitory synapses in the human hippocampus. The high-quality samples required for the study were obtained through collaboration with the Human Brain Tissue Laboratory of HUN-REN IEM and the Department of Pathology at Szent Borbála Hospital in Tatabánya.
The research findings are expected to significantly contribute to understanding diseases like schizophrenia, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s, which are associated with disturbances in interneuron functioning. As many neurological and psychiatric disorders are linked to inhibitory neuronal clusters in the hippocampus, gaining insight into hippocampal function is essential for developing more effective therapies.
