title: Structural alterations of the pyramidal pathway in schizoid and schizotypal cluster A personality disorders.
abstract: Schizoid (ScPD) and Schizotypal (SPD) personality disorders are rare and severe disorders. They are associated with high liability to schizophrenia and present an attenuated form of its negative symptoms, which are considered a putative endophenotype for schizophrenia. The trans-diagnostic study of negative symptoms in non-psychotic populations such as ScPD/SPD might provide useful markers of a negative-symptom domain; however, little is known about their neurobiological substrates. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in gray and white matter volumes in subjects with ScPD/SPD compared to a group of healthy controls.
  
  
  
  Structural magnetic resonance images were obtained from 20 never-psychotic subjects with ScPD/SPD and 28 healthy controls. Resulting values from clusters of differences were correlated in patients with relevant clinical variables (O-LIFE scale).
  
  
  
  ScPD/SPD presented greater bilateral white matter volume compared to healthy controls in the superior part of the corona radiata, close to motor/premotor regions, which correlated with the O-LIFE subtest of cognitive disorganization. No differences were found in regional gray matter or global gray/white matter volumes.
  
  
  
  Greater volumes in motor pathways might relate to cognitive symptoms and motor alterations commonly present in schizophrenia-related disorders. Given the established link between motor signs and psychosis, structural alterations in motor pathways are suggested as a putative biomarker of a negative-symptom domain in psychosis subject to further testing.
authors.affiliation: Bellvitge University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Mental Health, Parc Taulí Sabadell-CIBERSAM, University Hospital, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Via
authors.affiliation: Bellvitge University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orfila
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pedreño
authors.affiliation: UDIAT Diagnostic Center, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain.
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.affiliation: Bellvitge University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Menchón
authors.affiliation: Mental Health, Parc Taulí Sabadell-CIBERSAM, University Hospital, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain; UDIAT Diagnostic Center, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Narcís
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cardoner
authors.affiliation: Mental Health, Parc Taulí Sabadell-CIBERSAM, University Hospital, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Diego J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Palao
authors.affiliation: Bellvitge University Hospital, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: csoriano@idibell.cat.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soriano-Mas
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jordi.obiols@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Jordi E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Obiols
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Motor; Schizoid personality disorder; Schizotypal personality disorder; VBM; White matter