title: Childhood adversity and cortical thickness and surface area in a population at familial high risk of schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is now a well-established link between childhood adversity (CA) and schizophrenia. Similar structural abnormalities to those found in schizophrenia including alterations in grey-matter volume have also been shown in those who experience CA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined whether global estimates of cortical thickness or surface area were altered in those familial high-risk subjects who had been referred to a social worker or the Children's Panel compared to those who had not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the cortical surface area of those who were referred to the Children's Panel was significantly smaller than those who had not been referred, but cortical thickness was not significantly altered. There was also an effect of social work referral on cortical surface area but not on thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cortical surface area increases post-natally more than cortical thickness. Our findings suggest that CA can influence structural changes in the brain and it is likely to have a greater impact on cortical surface area than on cortical thickness.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bois
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: D G C
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Whalley
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry,Centre for Brain Sciences,School of Clinical Sciences,University of Edinburgh,Royal Edinburgh Hospital,Morningside Park,Edinburgh,UK.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lawrie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000069586:Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Childhood adversity; familial high risk; schizophrenia