Temporal lobe abnormalities in first-episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
The nature and time course of temporal lobe abnormalities in psychotic illness remain controversial. Confounds include disease chronicity, gender, and handedness. The present study investigated temporal substructures in right-handed male patients experiencing their first episode of psychotic illness.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained for 25 minimally treated patients experiencing their first psychotic episode and 16 healthy comparison subjects. Group differences in volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, planum temporale, and Heschl's gyrus were tested.


RESULTS
The patients had smaller bilateral hippocampal and left planum temporale volumes than the comparison subjects. Paranoid and nonparanoid patients differed in left amygdala volume.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that bilateral hippocampal and left planum temporale abnormalities are present near the onset of psychosis.
Sumich
Alex
A
Clinical Neuroscience Research Centre, Stonehouse Hospital, Cotton Lane, Dartford, Kent DA2 6AU, UK.
Chitnis
Xavier A
XA
Fannon
Dominic G
DG
O'Ceallaigh
Séamus
S
Doku
Victor C
VC
Falrowicz
Abi
A
Marshall
Nicolette
N
Matthew
Vallakalil M
VM
Potter
Mark
M
Sharma
Tonmoy
T
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology*