title: Cortical thinning and caudate abnormalities in first episode psychosis and their association with clinical outcome.
abstract: First episode psychosis (FEP) has been associated with structural brain changes, largely identified by volumetric analyses. Advances in neuroimaging processing have made it possible to measure geometric properties that may identify subtle structural changes not appreciated by a measure of volume alone. In this study we adopt complementary methods of assessing the structural integrity of grey matter in FEP patients and assess whether these relate to patient clinical and functional outcome at 3 year follow-up. 1.5 Tesla T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance (MR) images were acquired for 46 patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis and 46 healthy controls. Cerebral cortical thickness and local gyrification index (LGI) were investigated using FreeSurfer software. Volume and shape of the hippocampus, caudate and lateral ventricles were assessed using manual tracing and spherical harmonics applied for shape description. A cluster of cortical thinning was identified in FEP compared to controls; this was located in the right superior temporal gyrus, sulcus, extended into the middle temporal gyrus (lateral temporal cortex - LTC). Bilateral caudate volumes were significantly lower in FEP relative to controls and the right caudate also displayed regions of shape deflation in the FEP group. No significant structural abnormalities were identified in cortical LGI or hippocampal or lateral ventricle volume/shape. Neither LTC nor caudate abnormalities were related to change in symptom severity or global functioning 3 years later. LTC and caudate abnormalities are present at the first episode of psychosis but do not appear to directly affect clinical or functional outcome.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scanlon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Psychiatric Genetics, University Medical Centre Goettingen, Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anderson-Schmidt
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kilmartin
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McInerney
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kenney
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldron
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Srinath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambati
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fullard
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hallahan
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, London, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Dara M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; NCBES Galway Neuroscience Center, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland. Electronic address: colm.mcdonald@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: Colm
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Caudate; Cortical thickness; First episode psychosis; MRI; Shape; Superior temporal gyrus; Volume