A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of White Matter in Early-Onset Schizophrenia

Marinos Kyriakopoulos, Nora S. Vyas, Gareth J. Barker, Xavier A. Chitnis, Sophia Frangou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

134 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Voxel-based analysis of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) data was used to examine white matter integrity in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS), defined as schizophrenia beginning before the 18th birthday. Methods: Nineteen patients with EOS, aged 13 to 19, were compared with 20 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and parental socioeconomic status. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired on a GE Signa NVi 1.5 Tesla system (General Electric, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were registered into standard space, and group differences were examined using a nonparametric statistical approach. Results: In comparison with healthy participants, EOS patients had significantly lower FA in the white matter of the parietal association cortex bilaterally and in the left middle cerebellar penduncle. No areas with significantly higher FA in patients were identified. Conclusions: Parietal and cerebellar white matter abnormalities may contribute to the emergence of psychotic symptoms in adolescence.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)519-523
Number of pages5
JournalBiological Psychiatry
Volume63
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • age of onset
  • parietal

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