State-related changes in cerebral white matter may underlie psychosis exacerbation

Previous reports have described accelerated loss of cerebral white matter in schizophrenia. Others have reported changes of ventricle volumes in schizophrenic patients, with greatest increases following remission of psychotic symptoms. In this study changes in cerebral white matter volumes and psych...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychiatry research 2004-01, Vol.130 (1), p.71-78
Main Authors: Christensen, James, Holcomb, Jennifer, Garver, David L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - pathology
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Exacerbation
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Medical sciences
Myelin
Myelin Sheath - pathology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Psychotic Disorders - diagnosis
Psychotic Disorders - etiology
Remission
Remission Induction
Reproducibility of Results
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - pathology
Schizophrenic Psychology
Severity of Illness Index
White matter
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Summary:Previous reports have described accelerated loss of cerebral white matter in schizophrenia. Others have reported changes of ventricle volumes in schizophrenic patients, with greatest increases following remission of psychotic symptoms. In this study changes in cerebral white matter volumes and psychotic symptoms were measured in 16 recently decompensated schizophrenic patients from neuroleptic-free baseline to 4 weeks later during treatment with antipsychotics. Serial white matter assessments were also performed in eight controls at similar intervals. Thirteen of 16 patients showed reduction of psychotic symptoms (reduction of SAPS scores by 24.4±12.6) during treatment. Three patients failed to respond (increase of SAPS scores by 15.7±13.8). Serial volumetric studies of cerebral white matter during the 4-week period showed a decrease of white matter volume in the responders by 8.2±8.2 cm 3 ( P=0.003). Patients who failed to respond showed a non-significant increase in white matter during the same period by 11.4±11.7 cm 3. Absolute and percentage changes change in white matter volumes during the 4-week period were positively correlated with changes in SAPS scores (both P
ISSN:0925-4927
0165-1781
1872-7506
DOI:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2003.08.002