Grey matter abnormalities in first-episode schizophrenia and affective psychosis.
BACKGROUND
Grey matter and other structural brain abnormalities are consistently reported in first-onset schizophrenia, but less is known about the extent of neuroanatomical changes in first-onset affective psychosis.


OBJECTIVE
To determine which brain abnormalities are specific to (a) schizophrenia and (b) affective psychosis.


METHODS
We obtained dual-echo (proton density/T2-weighted) magnetic resonance images and carried out voxel-based analysis on the images of 73 patients with first-episode psychosis (schizophrenia n=44, affective psychosis n=29) and 58 healthy controls.


RESULTS
Both patients with schizophrenia and patients with affective psychosis had enlarged lateral and third ventricle volumes. Regional cortical grey matter reductions (including bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus, left insula and left fusiform gyrus) were evident in affective psychosis but not in schizophrenia, although patients with schizophrenia displayed decreased hippocampal grey matter and increased striatal grey matter at a more liberal statistical threshold.


CONCLUSIONS
Both schizophrenia and affective psychosis are associated with volumetric abnormalities at the onset of frank psychosis, with some of these evident in common brain areas.
Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW, UK. k.d.morgan@wmin.ac.uk
Kevin D
KD
Morgan
Paola
P
Dazzan
Kenneth G
KG
Orr
Gerard
G
Hutchinson
Xavier
X
Chitnis
John
J
Suckling
David
D
Lythgoe
Sarah-Jayne
SJ
Pollock
Susan
S
Rossell
Jane
J
Shapleske
Paul
P
Fearon
Craig
C
Morgan
Anthony
A
David
Philip K
PK
McGuire
Peter B
PB
Jones
Julian
J
Leff
Robin M
RM
Murray
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents