Caudate nucleus volume and its clinical and cognitive correlations in first episode schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Striatal dysfunction has been traditionally implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between caudate nucleus volumes and clinical and cognitive features of schizophrenic patients in an early phase of their illness.


METHODS
Caudate nucleus volumes in previously untreated first episode patients with non-affective psychosis (N=76) and healthy comparison subjects (N=45) were measured. Caudate nucleus volume in the right and left hemispheres were automatically segmented and analyzed using BRAINS2. Analysis of covariance was used to control for intracranial volume. Severity of clinical symptoms was assessed using SAPS and SANS total scores. The relationship between cognitive dimensions, and caudate nucleus volume was evaluated. Finally, we examined the correlation between caudate volumes and the duration of untreated illness (DUI), duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and duration of prodrome period (DPP).


RESULTS
Right, left, and total caudate nucleus volumes did not differ significantly between patients and controls. Those patients with a longer DUP have smaller caudate nucleus. In addition, caudate nucleus volume was positively correlated with the severity of psychotic symptomatology. No significant associations were found between caudate nucleus volume and cognitive functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
This group of first episode schizophrenia patients did not exhibit significant volumetric anomalies of the caudate nucleus. Despite this lack of volumetric abnormalities, a delay in receiving antipsychotic treatment and the severity of initial positive symptomatology were significantly associated with reduced caudate volume.
Crespo-Facorro
Benedicto
B
University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain. bcfacorro@humv.es
Roiz-Santiáñez
Roberto
R
Pelayo-Terán
José María
JM
González-Blanch
Cesar
C
Pérez-Iglesias
Rocío
R
Gutiérrez
Agustín
A
de Lucas
Enrique Marco
EM
Tordesillas
Diana
D
Vázquez-Barquero
José Luis
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index