title: Diffusion Tensor Imaging findings and their implications in schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Schizophrenia is a multifocal brain disease that involves abnormal brain connectivity. Diffusion Tensor Imaging is the most advanced imaging technique to investigate white matter connections in vivo. In this review, we focus on studies published in the last year with a high impact on our understanding of how changes in white matter may lead to better treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies establish white matter changes at illness onset, and quite possibly before, wherein they constitute a risk factor. Some studies also suggest that white matter changes might not progress over time, even without treatment. Further, while genetic risk may be associated with neurodevelopmental changes related to either white matter geometry, or a different trajectory of aging, clinical risk may also be associated with more acute changes of tissue integrity. These latter changes may be inflammatory in nature at illness onset, and related to the cellular integrity of oligodendrocytes and/or astrocytes at later stages of illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent publications suggest new directions for research and lead to new hypotheses about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia involving white matter. When replicated on larger samples, this knowledge will likely lead to the development of new treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: aPsychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston bVeterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubicki
authors.forename: Martha E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Shenton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D006801:Humans; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*