Progressive alterations of the auditory association areas in young non-psychotic offspring of schizophrenia patients.
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia may involve progressive alterations of structure and hemispheric lateralization of auditory association areas (AAA) within the superior temporal gyrus. These alterations may be greater in male patients. It is unclear if these deficits are state-dependent or whether they predate illness onset and reflect familial diathesis.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to compare AAA cortical thickness, surface area and lateralization across adolescent and young adult non-psychotic offspring of schizophrenia patients (OS) and healthy controls at baseline and one year follow-up. We also assessed the moderating effect of gender on these measures.


METHODS
Fifty-six OS and thirty-six control subjects were assessed at baseline and at follow-up on AAA surface area and thickness using FreeSurfer to process T1-MRI-images. We used repeated measures ANCOVAs, controlling intra cranial volume and age with assessment-time and side as within-subject factors and gender and study group as between-subject factors.


RESULTS
Surface area deficit in OS was greater on the left than on the right, as reflected in a lower surface area laterality-index (left-right/left + right × 100) in OS compared to controls. Left, but not right surface area and surface area laterality-index showed a longitudinal decline in OS compared to controls. Male OS declined more than controls on surface area and thickness.


CONCLUSIONS
Left AAA surface area may progressively decline in young non-psychotic offspring at familial diathesis for schizophrenia causing a continuing reversal of the leftward AAA lateralization. Progressive surface area reduction and thinning of AAA may be more prominent in young non-psychotic male offspring at risk for schizophrenia.
Bhojraj
Tejas S
TS
Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Sweeney
John A
JA
Prasad
Konasale M
KM
Eack
Shaun
S
Rajarethinam
Rajaprabhakaran
R
Francis
Alan N
AN
Montrose
Debra M
DM
Keshavan
Matcheri S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult