title: Hippocampal volume in familial and nonfamilial schizophrenic probands and their unaffected relatives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence for hippocampal volume loss in schizophrenia, but the etiology of this remains unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the contribution of familial liability and obstetric complications to hippocampal volume reduction in schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hippocampal volumes were obtained using stereological methods from magnetic resonance scans performed on 35 schizophrenic probands from multiply affected families and 63 of their unaffected relatives, as well as 31 schizophrenic probands from families with no other affected members, 33 of their unaffected relatives, and 68 control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Probands with schizophrenia, regardless of family history, had significant volume reduction of the left hippocampus. Hippocampal volume was not significantly reduced in either group of relatives. Obstetric complications were associated with left hippocampal volume reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We failed to find evidence that hippocampal volume loss is associated with familial liability to schizophrenia but have confirmed the association between hippocampal volume reduction and exposure to obstetric complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Colm
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frangou
authors.forename: Pak
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grech
authors.forename: Timothea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toulopoulou
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walshe
authors.forename: Tonmoy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Thordur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sigmundsson
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology