title: Neural substrates of a schizotypal spectrum in typically-developing children: Further evidence of a normal-pathological continuum.
abstract: Schizophrenia represents the extreme end of a distribution of traits that extends well into the general population. Using a recently developed measure of psychotic-like traits in children, we examined the neural substrates of psychotic (and other psychiatric) symptoms using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty-eight typically-developing children (14 males) between the ages of 6-17 years underwent a 3T MRI scan. Parents completed the Psychiatric and Schizotypal Inventory for Children. Results revealed that caudate, amygdala, hippocampal and middle temporal gyrus volumes were associated with quantitative dimensions of psychiatric traits. Furthermore, results suggest a differential a sexually-dimorphic pattern of brain-schizotypy associations. These findings highlight brain-behavior continuities between clinical conditions such as schizophrenia and normal trait variation in typical development.
authors.affiliation: Bucknell University, Program in Neuroscience, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States. Electronic address: dwevans@bucknell.edu.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States; Institute for Advanced Application, Geisinger Health Systems, Danville, PA 17821, United States.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ularević
authors.affiliation: Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States.
authors.forename: Laina G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Lusk
authors.affiliation: Bucknell University, Program in Neuroscience, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States.
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Buirkle
authors.affiliation: Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States; Department of Radiology, Geisinger Health Systems, Danville, PA 17821, United States; Institute for Advanced Application, Geisinger Health Systems, Danville, PA 17821, United States.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Children; Grey matter; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Schizophrenia; Schizotypy