White matter alterations in schizophrenic patients with pronounced negative symptomatology and with positive family history for schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, in vivo and post-mortem studies detected structural brain changes in schizophrenia. The aim of our analysis was to investigate potential changes of white matter in schizophrenic patients compared to controls, and the relationship to clinical characteristics.


METHODS
Fifty male, right-handed schizophrenic patients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were recruited. Fifty right-handed, age- and sex-matched subjects without a psychiatric disorder were enrolled as controls. Volumes of white matter in several brain regions were measured by 1.5 T MRI using a volumetry and segmentation software (BRAINS). Regions of interest including frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital and subcortical areas were determined using Talairach spaces.


RESULTS
No significant differences in white matter volumes of total brain tissue and regions of interest were detected between patients and controls. A significant reduction of white matter in parietal cortex of right hemisphere was found in a subgroup of patients with pronounced negative symptoms. Furthermore, patients with first-grade relatives suffering from schizophrenia showed a reduction of subcortical white matter in the right hemisphere.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that subgroups of schizophrenic patients show alterations of white matter in distinct brain regions, including the right parietal lobe.
Zetzsche
Thomas
T
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany.
Preuss
Ulrich W
UW
Frodl
Thomas
T
Leinsinger
Gerda
G
Born
Christine
C
Reiser
Maximilian
M
Hegerl
Ulrich
U
Möller
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Meisenzahl
Eva M
EM
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005190:Family; D005192:Family Health; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult