Reduced frontal white matter integrity in early-onset schizophrenia: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
Research suggests that brain frontal white matter (WM) might be qualitatively altered in adolescents with early onset schizophrenia (EOS). Diffusion tensor imaging provides a relatively new approach for quantifying possible connectivity of WM in vivo.


METHODS
Diffusion tensor imaging was used to examine the WM integrity of frontal regions at seven levels from 25 mm above to 5 mm below the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) plane. Three other regions were examined: the occipital region at the AC-PC plane and the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum. Fractional anisotropy was compared between 12 adolescents (nine male, 3 female) with EOS (onset of psychotic symptoms by age 18 years) and nine age-similar healthy comparison subjects (six male, 3 female).


RESULTS
Adolescents with EOS had significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in the frontal WM at the AC-PC plane in both hemispheres and in the occipital WM at the AC-PC plane in the right hemisphere.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data support a hypothesis that alterations in brain WM integrity occur in adolescents with EOS. Abnormalities found in this study were similar to those reported in adults with chronic schizophrenia. Additional studies are needed to assess whether there is progression of WM abnormalities in schizophrenia.
Kumra
Sanjiv
S
Department of Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York 11004, USA.
Ashtari
Manzar
M
McMeniman
Marjorie
M
Vogel
Joshua
J
Augustin
Rachel
R
Becker
David E
DE
Nakayama
Emilie
E
Gyato
Kunsang
K
Kane
John M
JM
Lim
Kelvin
K
Szeszko
Philip
P
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology