title: A 5-year follow-up study of brain cortical and subcortical abnormalities in a schizophrenia cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Magnetic resonance imaging studies have demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia have thinner cortex in prefrontal and temporal brain regions, and enlarged lateral ventricles, compared to healthy subjects. Longitudinal studies have shown progressive brain tissue loss and ventricular dilatation among patients, predominantly in the early phase of the illness. Evidence for progression in more chronic phases of schizophrenia is less established.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of cortical thickness, cortical volume and subcortical volumes were obtained from 52 patients with long-term treated schizophrenia and 63 healthy subjects who were scanned twice over five years. Differences in brain measurements across time and group were investigated using general linear models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, patients had similar patterns of thinner cortex and smaller cortical volumes in prefrontal and temporal regions at both time points. In the follow-up interval regional cortical volumes decreased and lateral ventricle volumes increased in both groups. There was a trend level interaction effect of group and time for the right lateral ventricle, but not for cortical measurements. This effect was related to higher degree of negative symptoms at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regional differences in cortical thickness and volume between long-term treated patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects are stable across five years, while right lateral ventricle volumes tend to increase more in the patients. The findings indicate that brain structure abnormalities found in schizophrenia are not progressive in the chronic stage of the disease, but that some progression in subcortical structures may be present in patients with poor outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, P.O. Box 85, Vinderen, N-0319 Oslo, Norway. ragnar.nesvag@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Ragnar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nesvåg
authors.forename: Ørjan
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.forename: Lars M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rimol
authors.forename: Elisabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Unn K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Haukvik
authors.forename: Cecilie B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Hartberg
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fagerberg
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söderman
authors.forename: Erik G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Jönsson
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agartz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*