title: [Changes in brain structure caused by neuroleptic medication].
abstract: A couple of studies showed that neuroleptic treatment affects brain morphology. This paper reviews findings of volumetric longitudinal studies on treated schizophrenics, longitudinal studies considering the effect of different neuroleptic treatments on brain morphology, and studies on neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia. The latter studies show enlargement of ventricles, diminished volume of the thalamus and reduced gray matter in different cortical regions. Findings on the nucleus caudatus, hippocampus, and amygdala are inconsistent. The volumes of the putamen and globus pallidus are unchanged. Medication with typical antipsychotics leads to increased volume of the nucleus caudatus while atypical antipsychotics do not change the volume of the nucleus caudatus.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar. harald.scherk@uniklinik-saarland.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scherk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falkai
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents