title: Confounders of excessive brain volume loss in schizophrenia.
abstract: There is convincing evidence that schizophrenia is characterised by progressive brain volume changes during the course of the illness. In a large longitudinal study it was shown that different age-related trajectories of brain tissue loss are present in patients compared to healthy subjects, suggesting that brain maturation that occurs in the third and fourth decade of life is abnormal in schizophrenia. However, studies show that medication intake and cannabis use are important confounding factors when interpreting brain volume (change) abnormalities. Indeed, continues use of cannabis, but not cigarette smoking, is associated to a more pronounced loss of grey matter in the anterior cingulated and the prefrontal cortex. Atypical antipsychotics have been found to be related to smaller decreases in tissue loss. Moreover, independent of antipsychotic medication intake, the brain volume abnormalities appear associated to the outcome of the illness.
authors.affiliation: Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: n.e.m.vanharen@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Van Haren
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cahn
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Hulshoff Pol
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D002188:Cannabis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D036421:Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents