Neocortical gray matter volume in first-episode schizophrenia and first-episode affective psychosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal MRI study.
BACKGROUND
Overall neocortical gray matter (NCGM) volume has not been studied in first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ) at first hospitalization or longitudinally to evaluate progression, nor has it been compared with first-episode affective psychosis (FEAFF).


METHODS
Expectation-maximization/atlas-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tissue segmentation into gray matter, white matter (WM), or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at first hospitalization of 29 FESZ and 34 FEAFF, plus 36 matched healthy control subjects (HC), and, longitudinally approximately 1.5 years later, of 17 FESZ, 21 FEAFF, and 26 HC was done. Manual editing separated NCGM and its lobar parcellation, cerebral WM (CWM), lateral ventricles (LV), and sulcal CSF (SCSF).


RESULTS
At first hospitalization, FESZ and FEAFF showed smaller NCGM volumes and larger SCSF and LV than HC. Longitudinally, FESZ showed NCGM volume reduction (-1.7%), localized to frontal (-2.4%) and temporal (-2.6%) regions, and enlargement of SCSF (7.2%) and LV (10.4%). Poorer outcome was associated with these LV and NCGM changes. FEAFF showed longitudinal NCGM volume increases (3.6%) associated with lithium or valproate administration but without clinical correlations and regional localization.


CONCLUSIONS
Longitudinal NCGM volume reduction and CSF component enlargement in FESZ are compatible with post-onset progression. Longitudinal NCGM volume increase in FEAFF may reflect neurotrophic effects of mood stabilizers.
Nakamura
Motoaki
M
Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, Boston, USA.
Salisbury
Dean F
DF
Hirayasu
Yoshio
Y
Bouix
Sylvain
S
Pohl
Kilian M
KM
Yoshida
Takeshi
T
Koo
Min-Seong
MS
Shenton
Martha E
ME
McCarley
Robert W
RW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D000465:Algorithms; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019579:Neocortex / Q000473:pathology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D014635:Valproic Acid