Ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia is associated with a genetic polymorphism at the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown some morphological and volumetric peculiarities in brains of schizophrenic patients. The authors explored the influence of genetic polymorphisms at interleukin-1beta (IL-1B) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) genes on these abnormalities. Hippocampus, lateral ventricles, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex gray matter volumes were measured in a sample of 23 DSM-IV diagnosed schizophrenic patients of Spanish origin using MRI scans; MRI data were adjusted for age and brain volume using regression parameters from a healthy control group (n = 45). IL-1B and IL-1RN genes, involved in neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative processes, were analyzed in the patient sample. Patients carrying VNTR-allele*2 of IL-1RN gene showed a significant enlargement of both left (P = 0.002) and right (P = 0.01) ventricles. Sex and illness duration were controlled for in the analyses. Our results, though preliminary, suggest that IL-1RN gene might contribute to the ventricular volumetric changes observed in schizophrenic patients.
Papiol
Sergi
S
Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Molina
Vicente
V
Desco
Manuel
M
Rosa
Araceli
A
Reig
Santiago
S
Gispert
Juan D
JD
Sanz
Javier
J
Palomo
Tomás
T
Fañanás
Lourdes
L
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000483:Alleles; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006579:Heterozygote; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D004247:DNA