title: Serum S100B Protein is Specifically Related to White Matter Changes in Schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Schizophrenia can be conceptualized as a form of dysconnectivity between brain regions.To investigate the neurobiological foundation of dysconnectivity, one approach is to analyze white matter structures, such as the pathology of fiber tracks. S100B is considered a marker protein for glial cells, in particular oligodendrocytes and astroglia, that passes the blood brain barrier and is detectable in peripheral blood. Earlier Studies have consistently reported increased S100B levels in schizophrenia. In this study, we aim to investigate associations between S100B and structural white matter abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data of 17 unmedicated schizophrenic patients (first and recurrent episode) and 22 controls. We used voxel based morphometry (VBM) to detect group differences of white matter structures as obtained from T1-weighted MR-images and considered S100B serum levels as a regressor in an age-corrected interaction analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S100B was increased in both patient subgroups. Using VBM, we found clusters indicating significant differences of the association between S100B concentration and white matter. Involved anatomical structures are the posterior cingulate bundle and temporal white matter structures assigned to the superior longitudinal fasciculus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S100B-associated alterations of white matter are shown to be existent already at time of first manifestation of psychosis and are distinct from findings in recurrent episode patients. This suggests involvement of S100B in an ongoing and dynamic process associated with structural brain changes in schizophrenia. However, it remains elusive whether increased S100B serum concentrations in psychotic patients represent a protective response to a continuous pathogenic process or if elevated S100B levels are actively involved in promoting structural brain damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany; St. Joseph-KrankenhausDessau-Roßlau, Germany.
authors.forename: Berko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Milleit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smesny
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, St. Rochus HospitalTelgte, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rothermundt
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Preul
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Clinic for Cognitive Neurology Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Eiff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponath
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Sophien- und Hufeland-KlinikumWeimar, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milleit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany; Department of Neurology, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaser
keywords: S100B; VBM; first episode psychosis; schizophrenia; voxel based morphometry; white matter