title: Very early onset and greater vulnerability in schizophrenia: A clinical and neuroimaging study.
abstract: Although schizophrenia has been diagnosed in children, this group of disorders has received too little attention in the clinical and research literature. Preliminary data suggest that early onset schizophrenia (EOS) and very early onset schizophrenia (VEOS) tend to have a worse outcome than adult onset schizophrenia, and seem to be related to a greater familial vulnerability, due to genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Recently, advanced neuroimaging techniques have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities in some cerebral areas. This paper reports on a case diagnosed as VEOS, with premorbid year-long psychopathological history. The patient showed atypical proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings, and normal brain and spine computer tomography and brain magnetic resonance images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurologic and Psychiatry Sciences, Psychiatry Unit, University of Bari Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Margari
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Presicci
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Petruzzelli
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Cuonzo
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Margari