Cerebral ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia. A preliminary follow-up study.
Lateral cerebral ventricular enlargement is now known to occur in some schizophrenic patients. To determine whether ventriculomegaly in schizophrenia is a static vs progressive process, we conducted a follow-up computed tomographic brain scan study on 11 young male patients, three years after initial scans were obtained. No significant change was found in the mean ventricles-brain ratio of this small schizophrenic sample after three years. Four of 11 patients showed noticeable increases (greater than 50%) in individual ratio. Methodologic problems are discussed and the need for follow-up studies as a research strategy is emphasized.
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed