title: Increased white matter integrity in the corpus callosum in subjects with high genetic loading for schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  White matter abnormalities in the corpus callosum (CC) of schizophrenia have been reported to predate the illness onset. This study aimed to investigate the effect of genetic predisposition on the white matter integrity of the CC, in subjects at genetically high risk for schizophrenia (GHR) and schizophrenia patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fractional anisotropy (FA) of the mid-sagittal CC in 22 young GHR, 15 schizophrenia, and 26 control subjects were examined. GHR subjects were defined as non-prodromal individuals who had more than two relatives with schizophrenia within third-degree relatives, one of whom must be a first-degree relative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ANCOVA with age and gender as covariates revealed overall difference of FA in the genu and splenium among the three groups. Post-hoc analysis found significantly increased FA in the genu of GHR subjects compared to controls (corrected p<0.01), whereas schizophrenia patients showed significantly decreased FA in the splenium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The white matter change of the CC in young GHR subjects was the opposite of that in schizophrenia. To consider previous reports on FA decrease in the CC in schizophrenia and the impaired frontal functioning in GHR group, the increased FA may be an indicator of compensatory alteration in white matter integrity in young GHR people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Nyun
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joon Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Wi Hoon
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Geumsook
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Hye Yoon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chi-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Do-Hyung
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D040741:Genetic Load; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult