Grey matter abnormalities in Brazilians with first-episode psychosis.
BACKGROUND
In low- and middle-income countries people with schizophrenia are reported to experience better outcomes than those in high-income countries.


OBJECTIVE
To examine structural brain differences in people with first-episode psychosis and controls in Brazil.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging using voxel-based morphometry was performed on 122 people with first-episode psychosis and 94 controls.


RESULTS
There were significant decreases in grey matter in the left superior temporal and inferior prefrontal cortices, insula bilaterally and the right hippocampal region in first-episode psychosis (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). The subgroup of people with schizophrenia (n=62) exhibited a similar pattern of decrease in grey matter relative to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Structural abnormalities reported in psychosis in high-income countries are also present in first-episode psychosis in Brazil.
Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Ovídio Pires Campos, s/n, CEP 05403-903, São Paulo, SP Brazil.
Maristela S
MS
Schaufelberger
Fabio L S
FL
Duran
Julia M
JM
Lappin
Marcia
M
Scazufca
Edson
E
Amaro
Claudia C
CC
Leite
Claudio C
CC
de Castro
Robin M
RM
Murray
Philip K
PK
McGuire
Paulo R
PR
Menezes
Geraldo F
GF
Busatto
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D001938:Brazil; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000473:pathology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents