Magnetic resonance imaging of the thalamus in first-episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
There is some evidence of thalamic abnormalities in schizophrenia. This study investigated thalamic volumes in patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis and nonpsychotic comparison subjects.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained for 38 patients and 29 comparison subjects. Patients' symptoms were rated by research psychiatrists using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.


RESULTS
Thalamic volumes were smaller in patients than in comparison subjects. There were no significant correlations between thalamic volumes and symptom scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Thalamic abnormalities are present close to the onset of psychosis.
Ettinger
U
U
Section of Cognitive Psychopharmacology, Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, London, UK.
Chitnis
X A
XA
Kumari
V
V
Fannon
D G
DG
Sumich
A L
AL
O'Ceallaigh
S
S
Doku
V C
VC
Sharma
T
T
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*