Brain and ventricle instability during psychotic episodes of the schizophrenias

• Published in: Schizophrenia research 2000-07, Vol.44 (1), p.11-23
• Main Authors: Garver, D.L, Nair, T.R, Christensen, J.D, Holcomb, J.A, Kingsbury, S.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Atrophy; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - pathology; Brain atrophy; Brain Edema - diagnosis; Cerebral Ventricles - pathology; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Reference Values; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenic Psychology; Ventricle expansion
• ISSN: 0920-9964; 1573-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-9964(00)00015-3

Recent reports from serial brain scans suggest that the rate of ventricular expansion and/or brain atrophy may be accelerated in at least some schizophrenics. The authors assessed the effect of state changes upon such findings. Within-subject 3D MRIs were assessed for ventricular and brain volumes during periods of [partial] remission and of exacerbation of psychosis. Additional scans at comparable within-subject SAPS were used to assess rates of change in volumes that were independent of SAPS changes. Correlations of changes of ventricle and brain volumes vs. change of SAPS cores between scans revealed that ventricle volumes decreased during a period of psychotic exacerbation and increased at a time of [partial] remission ( r p=−0.666; P