The relationship between neuronal plasticity and serotonergic neurons in the brainstem of SIDS victims.

Background: The sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is still the main cause of postneonatal infant death and its cause is still unknown. Recently, the medullary serotonergic network deficiency theory has been proposed and an association between SIDS and neuronal plasticity has also been suggested. The growth-associated phosphoprotein 43 (GAP43) is a marker of synaptic plasticity and is critical for normal development of the serotonergic innervation. Therefore, the characteristics of GAP43-positive elements and their association with serotonergic neurons were here investigated in the brainstem of SIDS victims.

Materials And Methods: The materials of this study included 26 cases of SIDS and 12 control cases. The brainstem material was collected and the immunohistochemistry of GAP43 and tryptophan hydroxylase (TrypH) carried out. The density of GAP43-positive neurons and dendrites and of TrypH-positive neurons were measured quantitatively. Nonparametric analyses of GAP43 between SIDS and non-SIDS and correlation analyses between GAP43 and TrypH were performed.

Results: No significant difference in GAP43-associated findings was found between SIDS and non-SIDS nor any significant correlation between GAP43-associated findings and TrypH-positive neurons.

Conclusions: The results of this study were not in agreement with the association of GAP43 with SIDS and with serotonergic innervation in SIDS.