Abstract
Background: Previous NIMH childhood onset schizophrenia (COS) anatomic brain MRI studies
found progression of ventricular volume and other structural brain anomalies at 2-year
follow up across mean ages 14 to 16 years. However, studies in adult patients generally
do not show progression of ventricular volume or correlation of ventricular volume
with duration of illness. To address issues of progression of brain anomalies in schizophrenia,
this report extends previous studies to include a third longitudinal scan, uses a
larger sample size, and includes measures of the amygdala and hippocampus.
Methods: Volumes of the total cerebrum, lateral ventricles, hippocampus, and amygdala
were quantified on 208 brain magnetic resonance imaging scans from 42 adolescents
with COS (23 with one or more repeat scan) and 74 age- and gender-matched controls
(36 with one or more repeat scan). A statistical technique permitting combined use
of cross-sectional and longitudinal data was used to assess age-related changes, linearity,
and diagnostic group differences.
Results: Differential nonlinear progression of brain anomalies was seen during adolescence
with the total cerebrum and hippocampus decreasing and lateral ventricles increasing
in the COS group. The developmental curves for these structures reached an asymptote
by early adulthood for the COS group and did not significantly change with age in
the control group.
Conclusions: These findings reconcile less striking progression of anatomic brain
images usually seen for adult schizophrenia and complement other data consistent with
time-limited, diagnostic-specific decreases in brain tissue. Adolescence appears to
be a unique period of differential brain development in schizophrenia.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 17,
1999
Received in revised form:
March 16,
1999
Received:
November 30,
1998
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
