title: Progressive brain changes in schizophrenia related to antipsychotic treatment? A meta-analysis of longitudinal MRI studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antipsychotic treatment is the first-line treatment option for schizophrenia. Individual studies suggested they can significantly affect brain structure and account for progressive brain changes observed during the illness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively examine the effect of antipsychotics as compared to illness related factors on progressive brain changes in schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic databases were searched until April 2012. All magnetic resonance imaging studies reporting progressive brain changes in schizophrenia subjects and antipsychotic exposure were retrieved.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 longitudinal MRI studies with antipsychotic administration in schizophrenia patients met the inclusion criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain volumes before and after antipsychotic exposure, duration of illness, severity of psychotic symptoms as well as demographic, clinical, and methodological variables were extracted from each publication, or obtained directly from its authors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall sample was of 1046 schizophrenia patients and 780 controls for a median duration of follow-up of 72.4 weeks. At baseline, patients showed significant whole brain volume reductions and enlarged lateral ventricle (LV) volumes compared to controls. No baseline volumetric abnormalities were detected in the gray matter volumes (GMV), white matter volumes, cerebrospinal fluid and caudate nucleus. Longitudinally, there were progressive GMV decreases and LV enlargements in patients but not in controls. The GMV decreases were inversely correlated with cumulative exposure to antipsychotic treatments, while no effects were observed for duration of illness or illness severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schizophrenia is characterized by progressive gray matter volume decreases and lateral ventricular volume increases. Some of these neuroanatomical alterations may be associated with antipsychotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: p.fusar@libero.it.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fusar-Poli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smieskova
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kempton
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Andreasen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borgwardt
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Antipsychotic; Dopamine; MRI; Neuroimaging; Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Structural