title: Alterations of lateral temporal cortical gray matter and facial memory as vulnerability indicators for schizophrenia: An MRI study in youth at familial high-risk for schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Structural alterations of the lateral temporal cortex (LTC) in association with memory impairments have been reported in schizophrenia. This study investigated whether alterations of LTC structure were linked with impaired facial and/or verbal memory in young first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia and, thus, may be indicators of vulnerability to the illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects included 27 non-psychotic, first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients, and 48 healthy controls, between the ages of 13 and 28. Participants underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5Tesla. The LTC was parcellated into superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and temporal pole. Total cerebral and LTC volumes were measured using semi-automated morphometry. The Wechsler Memory Scale - Third Edition and the Children's Memory Scale - Third Edition assessed facial and verbal memory. General linear models tested for associations among LTC subregion volumes, familial risk and memory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, relatives had significantly smaller bilateral middle temporal gyri. Moreover, right middle temporal gyral volume showed a significant positive association with delayed facial memory in relatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the hypothesis that smaller middle temporal gyri are related to the genetic liability to schizophrenia and may be linked with reduced facial memory in persons at genetic risk for the illness. The findings add to the growing evidence that children at risk for schizophrenia on the basis of positive family history have cortical and subcortical structural brain abnormalities well before psychotic illness occurs.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, United States; Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, United States. Electronic address: bbrent@partners.org.
authors.forename: Benjamin K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Brent
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States.
authors.forename: Isabelle M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, United States; The HST-MIT Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States.
authors.forename: Heidi W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Thermenos
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, United States; The HST-MIT Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States.
authors.forename: Daphne J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, United States; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Stephen V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Faraone
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, United States; The HST-MIT Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States; Harvard Medical School Department of Neurology and Radiology Services, Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, United States.
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.affiliation: Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
authors.forename: Ming T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tsuang
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, United States; Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, United States; The HST-MIT Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States.
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Seidman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000066499:Facial Recognition; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D011379:Prognosis; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Facial memory; Familial high-risk; Lateral temporal cortex; Schizophrenia