Chronic antidopaminergic medication might affect amygdala structure in patients with schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Recently amygdala enlargement has been reported in patients with schizophrenia like psychosis of epilepsy. The effect of antipsychotic medication on amygdala structure has not been investigated so far. There is theoretical evidence to support the assumption that dopaminergic neurotransmission might affect neuronal plasticity.


METHODS
In order to analyze the influence of chronic antidopaminergic medication on amygdala structure we compared amygdala volumes in patients with schizophrenia like psychosis of epilepsy (POE) treated with neuroleptic medication (n = 11) to patients with POE not treated with such medication (n = 15), patients with epilepsy alone (n = 24) and healthy control subjects (n = 20).


RESULTS
Analyzing our data with a factorial ANOVA approach, we found a significant effect of the factor medication in that patients treated with antipsychotic medication displayed a "normalization" of the increased amygdala volumes observed in the untreated patient group.


CONCLUSIONS
This observation supports the assumption that antidopaminergic medication might affect the amygdala structure.
Tebartz van Elst
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Neuropsychiatric Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany. ludger_vanelst@psyallg.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Bäumer
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Ebert
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Trimble
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D000679:Amygdala / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000187:drug effects*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D003006:Clopenthixol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005475:Flupenthixol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D014268:Trifluoperazine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D014268:Trifluoperazine; D003006:Clopenthixol; D005475:Flupenthixol; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone