Splenic nodules at autopsy.

Gamna-Gandy bodies (GGBs), also known as hemosiderotic nodules, were first described in 1921 in association with sickle cell disease. Since then, they have been documented to occur in association with other pathological processes such as hemolytic anemia, congestive splenomegaly, hereditary hemochromatosis; and acquired hemosiderosis. Despite a uniquely characteristic microscopic appearance that is easily recognized by routine histopathologic examination, the precise significance of GGBs remains unknown. As such, documentation of GGBs in patients either by pathology or radiology should herald the presence of a systemic disorder such as sickle cell anemia or hemochromatosis wherein portal hypertension and/or congestive splenomegaly are present. In this article, we briefly present two autopsy cases from two patients with distinctly different clinical presentations wherein classic Gamna-Gandy bodies are illustrated on routine histopathologic examination.

Neonatal citalopram exposure decreases serotonergic fiber density in the olfactory bulb of male but not female adult rats.

Manipulation of serotonin (5HT) during early development has been shown to induce long-lasting morphological changes within the raphe nuclear complex and serotonergic circuitry throughout the brain. Recent studies have demonstrated altered raphe-derived 5HT transporter (SERT) immunoreactive axonal expression in several cortical target sites after brief perinatal exposure to selective 5HT reuptake inhibitors such as citalopram (CTM). Since the serotonergic raphe nuclear complex projects to the olfactory bulb (OB) and perinatal 5HT disruption has been shown to disrupt olfactory behaviors, the goal of this study was to further investigate such developmental effects in the OB of CTM exposed animals. Male and female rat pups were exposed to CTM from postnatal day 8-21. After animals reach adulthood (>90 days), OB tissue sections were processed immunohistochemically for SERT antiserum. Our data revealed that the density of the SERT immunoreactive fibers decreased ~40% in the OB of CTM exposed male rats, but not female rats. Our findings support a broad and long-lasting change throughout most of the 5HT system, including the OB, after early manipulation of 5HT. Because dysfunction of the early 5HT system has been implicated in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), these new findings may offer insight into the abnormal olfactory perception often noted in patients with ASD.