Smaller anterior hippocampal formation volume in antipsychotic-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated volumetric alterations of the anterior hippocampal formation in patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia relative to healthy comparison subjects.


METHODS
From contiguous 1.5-mm coronal magnetic resonance images, the hippocampal formation was divided into posterior and anterior segments, and the anterior hippocampal formation was separated from the amygdala. Volumes of the posterior and anterior hippocampal formation and amygdala were computed in 46 (31 male and 15 female) patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia and in 34 (21 male and 13 female) healthy comparison subjects. Twenty-four patients were antipsychotic naive at the time of the scan.


RESULTS
Patients had significantly reduced total (right plus left) anterior hippocampal formation volume relative to healthy comparison subjects but did not differ in volumes of either the posterior hippocampal formation or amygdala. Similar findings were obtained when analyses were restricted to the antipsychotic-naive subgroup of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that volumetric abnormalities of the hippocampus-amygdala complex may be specific to the anterior hippocampal formation in patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia and are consistent with hypotheses regarding abnormal frontolimbic connectivity playing a role in the pathophysiology of the disorder.
Szeszko
Philip R
PR
Department of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA. szeszko@lij.edu
Goldberg
Ethan
E
Gunduz-Bruce
Handan
H
Ashtari
Manzar
M
Robinson
Delbert
D
Malhotra
Anil K
AK
Lencz
Todd
T
Bates
John
J
Crandall
David T
DT
Kane
John M
JM
Bilder
Robert M
RM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents