A diffusion tensor imaging study of white matter in early-onset schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Voxel-based analysis of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) data was used to examine white matter integrity in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS), defined as schizophrenia beginning before the 18th birthday.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with EOS, aged 13 to 19, were compared with 20 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and parental socioeconomic status. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired on a GE Signa NVi 1.5 Tesla system (General Electric, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were registered into standard space, and group differences were examined using a nonparametric statistical approach.


RESULTS
In comparison with healthy participants, EOS patients had significantly lower FA in the white matter of the parietal association cortex bilaterally and in the left middle cerebellar penduncle. No areas with significantly higher FA in patients were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Parietal and cerebellar white matter abnormalities may contribute to the emergence of psychotic symptoms in adolescence.
Section of Neurobiology of Psychosis, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom.
Marinos
M
Kyriakopoulos
Nora S
NS
Vyas
Gareth J
GJ
Barker
Xavier A
XA
Chitnis
Sophia
S
Frangou
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology