Longitudinal follow-up of cavum septum pellucidum and adhesio interthalamica alterations in first-episode psychosis: a population-based MRI study.
BACKGROUND
Neurodevelopmental alterations have been described inconsistently in psychosis probably because of lack of standardization among studies. The aim of this study was to conduct the first longitudinal and population-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of the presence and size of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and adhesio interthalamica (AI) in a large sample of patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP).


METHODS
FEP patients (n=122) were subdivided into schizophrenia (n=62), mood disorders (n=46) and other psychosis (n=14) groups and compared to 94 healthy next-door neighbour controls. After 13 months, 80 FEP patients and 52 controls underwent a second MRI examination.


RESULTS
We found significant reductions in the AI length in schizophrenia FEP in comparison with the mood disorders and control subgroups (longer length) at the baseline assessment, and no differences in any measure of the CSP. By contrast, there was a diagnosis×time interaction for the CSP length, with a more prominent increase for this measure in the psychosis group. There was an involution of the AI length over time for all groups but no diagnosis×time interaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the CSP per se may not be linked to the neurobiology of emerging psychotic disorders, although it might be related to the progression of the disease. However, the fact that the AI length was shown to be shorter at the onset of the disorder supports the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia and indicates that an alteration in this grey matter junction may be a risk factor for developing psychosis.
Department of Neuroscience and Behavioural Science, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. clarissaf@hotmail.com
C
C
Trzesniak
M S
MS
Schaufelberger
F L S
FL
Duran
L C
LC
Santos
P G P
PG
Rosa
P K
PK
McGuire
R M
RM
Murray
M
M
Scazufca
P R
PR
Menezes
J E C
JE
Hallak
J A S
JA
Crippa
G F
GF
Busatto
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009929:Organ Size; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013788:Thalamus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult