Alterations in the cerebral white matter of genetic high risk offspring of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
Alterations in white matter (WM) may be seen in young relatives at risk and may underlie vulnerability to schizophrenia. We were interested in exploring which of the WM regions were altered in adolescent offspring at familial risk for schizophrenia. We examined structural alterations in the offspring of subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (HR; n=65; 36 males) and healthy controls (HC; n=80: 37 males) matched for age and education. MRI images were collected using a GE 1.5 T scanner at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Image processing was done using FreeSurfer (MGH) by an experienced rater blind to clinical data. We used multivariate analysis of covariance, with intracranial volume (p>0.05) and age as covariates. High Risk offspring had significant reductions in total WM, hemispheric WM and WM within left parietal and left cingulate cortices. Male offspring had more pronounced right hemisphere WM reductions than females.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Alan N
AN
Francis
Tejas S
TS
Bhojraj
Konasale M
KM
Prasad
Debra
D
Montrose
Shaun M
SM
Eack
Rajaprabhakaran
R
Rajarethinam
Ludger T
LT
van Elst
Matcheri S
MS
Keshavan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*