Prenatal and neonatal brain structure and white matter maturation in children at high risk for schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with abnormalities of brain structure and white matter, although little is known about when these abnormalities arise. This study was conducted to identify structural brain abnormalities in the prenatal and neonatal periods associated with genetic risk for schizophrenia.


METHODS
Prenatal ultrasound scans and neonatal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging were prospectively obtained in the offspring of mothers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (N=26) and matched comparison mothers without psychiatric illness (N=26). Comparisons were made for prenatal lateral ventricle width and head circumference, for neonatal intracranial, CSF, gray matter, white matter, and lateral ventricle volumes, and for neonatal diffusion properties of the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum and corticospinal tracts.


RESULTS
Relative to the matched comparison subjects, the offspring of mothers with schizophrenia did not differ in prenatal lateral ventricle width or head circumference. Overall, the high-risk neonates had nonsignificantly larger intracranial, CSF, and lateral ventricle volumes. Subgroup analysis revealed that male high-risk infants had significantly larger intracranial, CSF, total gray matter, and lateral ventricle volumes; the female high-risk neonates were similar to the female comparison subjects. There were no group differences in white matter diffusion tensor properties.


CONCLUSIONS
Male neonates at genetic risk for schizophrenia had several larger than normal brain volumes, while females did not. To the authors' knowledge, this study provides the first evidence, in the context of its limitations, that early neonatal brain development may be abnormal in males at genetic risk for schizophrenia.
Gilmore
John H
JH
Conte Schizophrenia Research Center and Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA. jgilmore@med.unc.edu
Kang
Chaeryon
C
Evans
Dianne D
DD
Wolfe
Honor M
HM
Smith
J Keith
JK
Lieberman
Jeffrey A
JA
Lin
Weili
W
Hamer
Robert M
RM
Styner
Martin
M
Gerig
Guido
G
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology