scholarly journals Abnormalities in connectivity of white-matter tracts in patients with familial and non-familial schizophrenia

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1691-1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Wang ◽  
W. Deng ◽  
C. Huang ◽  
M. Li ◽  
X. Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Family History ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Positive Family History ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Factorial Model ◽  
History Of ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia ◽  
Full Factorial

BackgroundAbnormalities in the connectivity of white-matter (WM) tracts in schizophrenia are supported by evidence from post-mortem investigations, functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The aims of this study were to explore the microstructural changes in first-episode schizophrenia in a Han Chinese population and to investigate whether a family history of psychiatric disorder is related to the severity of WM tract integrity abnormalities in these patients.MethodT1-weighted MR and DT images were collected in 68 patients with first-episode schizophrenia [22 with a positive family history (PFH) and 46 with a negative family history (NFH)] and 100 healthy controls. Voxel-based analysis was performed and WM integrity was quantified by fractional anisotropy (FA). Cluster- and voxel-level analyses were performed by using two-sample t tests between patients and controls and/or using a full factorial model with one factor and three levels among the three sample groups (patients with PFH or NFH, and controls), as appropriate.ResultsFA deficits were observed in the patient group, especially in the left temporal lobe and right corpus callosum. This effect was more severe in the non-familial schizophrenia than in the familial schizophrenia subgroup.ConclusionsOverall, these findings support the hypothesis that loss of WM integrity may be an important pathophysiological feature of schizophrenia, with particular implications for brain dysmaturation in non-familial and familial schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Cognitive deficits and white matter abnormalities in never-treated first-episode schizophrenia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Yang ◽  
Shan Gao ◽  
Xiangyang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Internal Capsule ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

Abstract Cognitive impairment is viewed as a core symptom of schizophrenia (SCZ), but its pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear. White matter (WM) disruption is considered to be a central abnormality that may contribute to cognitive impairment in SCZ patients. However, few studies have addressed the association between cognition and WM integrity in never-treated first-episode (NTFE) patients with SCZ. In this study, we used the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) to evaluate cognitive function in NTFE patients (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 30), and associated it with whole-brain fractional anisotropy (FA) values obtained via voxel-based diffusion tensor imaging. We found that FA was lower in five brain areas of SCZ patients, including the cingulate gyrus, internal capsule, corpus callosum, cerebellum, and brainstem. Compared with the healthy control group, the MCCB’s total score and 8 out of 10 subscores were significantly lower in NTFE patients (all p < 0.001). Moreover, in patients but not healthy controls, the performance in the Trail Making Test was negatively correlated with the FA value in the left cingulate. Our findings provide evidence that WM disconnection is involved in some cognitive impairment in the early course of SCZ.

scholarly journals The Effect of Ranitidine on Olanzapine-Induced Weight Gain

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Ranjbar ◽  
Alireza Ghanepour ◽  
Homayoun Sadeghi-Bazargani ◽  
Mahbob Asadlo ◽  
Amineh Alizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Family History ◽  
Positive Family History ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Obesity ◽  
Baseline Bmi ◽  
First Time

Induced weight gain is a disturbing side effect of Olanzapine that affects the quality of life in psychotic patients. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of Ranitidine in attenuating or preventing Olanzapine-induced weight gain. A parallel 2-arm clinical trial was done on 52 patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders who received Olanzapine for the first time. All these were first-episode admitted patients. They were randomly allocated to receive either Ranitidine or placebo. The trend of body mass index (BMI) was compared between groups over 16-week course of treatment. Mean weight was 62.3 (SD: 9.6) kg at baseline. Thirty-three subjects (63.5%) had positive family history of obesity. The average BMI increment was 1.1 for Ranitidine group and 2.4 for the placebo group. The multivariate analysis showed this effect to be independent of sex, family history of obesity, and baseline BMI value. The longitudinal modeling after controlling for baseline values failed to show the whole trend slope to be different. Although the slight change in trend’s slope puts forward a hypothesis that combined use of Ranitidine and Olanzapine may attenuate the weight gain long run, this needs to be retested in future larger scale long-term studies. This trial is registered with IRCT.ir201009112181N5.

White-matter microstructure in previously drug-naive patients with schizophrenia after 6 weeks of treatment

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2301-2309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Wang ◽  
C. Cheung ◽  
W. Deng ◽  
M. Li ◽  
C. Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
The Right ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

BackgroundIt is not clear whether the progressive changes in brain microstructural deficits documented in previous longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies might be due to the disease process or to other factors such as medication. It is important to explore the longitudinal alterations in white-matter (WM) microstructure in antipsychotic-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia during the very early phase of treatment when relatively ‘free’ from chronicity.MethodThirty-five patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 22 healthy volunteers were recruited. High-resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was obtained from participants at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment. A ‘difference map’ for each individual was calculated from the 6-week follow-up fractional anisotropy (FA) of DTI minus the baseline FA. Differences in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores between baseline and 6 weeks were also evaluated and expressed as a 6-week/baseline ratio.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, there was a significant decrease in absolute FA of WM around the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and the right anterior corona radiata of the frontal lobe in first-episode drug-naive patients with schizophrenia following 6 weeks of treatment. Clinical symptoms improved during this period but the change in FA did not correlate with the changes in clinical symptoms or the dose of antipsychotic medication.ConclusionsDuring the early phase of treatment, there is an acute reduction in WM FA that may be due to the effects of antipsychotic medications. However, it is not possible to entirely exclude the effects of underlying progression of illness.

scholarly journals Anterior cingulate grey-matter deficits and cannabis use in first-episode schizophrenia

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip R. Szeszko ◽  
Delbert G. Robinson ◽  
Serge Sevy ◽  
Sanjiv Kumra ◽  
Claudia I. Rupp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
First Episode ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia ◽  
First Episode Of Schizophrenia

BackgroundDespite the high prevalence of cannabis use in schizophrenia, few studies have examined the potential relationship between cannabis exposure and brain structural abnormalities in schizophrenia.AimsTo investigate prefrontal grey and white matter regions in patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia with an additional diagnosis of cannabis use or dependence (n=20) compared with similar patients with no cannabis use (n=31) and healthy volunteers (n=56).MethodVolumes of the superior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus and orbital frontal lobe were outlined manually from contiguous magnetic resonance images and automatically segmented into grey and white matter.ResultsPatients who used cannabis had less anterior cingulate grey matter compared with both patients who did not use cannabis and healthy volunteers.ConclusionsA defect in the anterior cingulate is associated with a history of cannabis use among patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia and could have a role in poor decision-making and in choosing more risky outcomes.

scholarly journals A diffusion tensor imaging study of structural dysconnectivity in never-medicated, first-episode schizophrenia

2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 877-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Cheung ◽  
C. Cheung ◽  
G. M. McAlonan ◽  
Y. Deng ◽  
J. G. Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Cerebral Peduncle ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Subcortical Region ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

BackgroundDiffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be used to investigate cerebral structural connectivity in never-medicated individuals with first-episode schizophrenia.MethodSubjects with first-episode schizophrenia according to DSM-IV-R who had never been exposed to antipsychotic medication (n=25) and healthy controls (n=26) were recruited. Groups were matched for age, gender, best parental socio-economic status and ethnicity. All subjects underwent DTI and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Voxel-based analysis was performed to investigate brain regions where fractional anisotropy (FA) values differed significantly between groups. A confirmatory region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of FA scores was performed in which regions were placed blind to group membership.ResultsIn patients, FA values significantly lower than those in healthy controls were located in the left fronto-occipital fasciculus, left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, white matter adjacent to right precuneus, splenium of corpus callosum, right posterior limb of internal capsule, white matter adjacent to right substantia nigra, and left cerebral peduncle. ROI analysis of the corpus callosum confirmed that the patient group had significantly lower mean FA values than the controls in the splenium but not in the genu. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for independent ROI measurements was 0.90 (genu) and 0.90 (splenium). There were no regions where FA values were significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy controls.ConclusionsWidespread structural dysconnectivity, including the subcortical region, is already present in neuroleptic-naive patients in their first episode of illness.

scholarly journals Positive symptoms and white matter microstructure in never-medicated first episode schizophrenia

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1709-1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Cheung ◽  
C. P. Y. Chiu ◽  
C. W. Law ◽  
C. Cheung ◽  
C. L. M. Hui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

BackgroundWe investigated cerebral structural connectivity and its relationship to symptoms in never-medicated individuals with first-onset schizophrenia using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).MethodWe recruited subjects with first episode DSM-IV schizophrenia who had never been exposed to antipsychotic medication (n=34) and age-matched healthy volunteers (n=32). All subjects received DTI and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. Patients' symptoms were assessed on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Voxel-based analysis was performed to investigate brain regions where fractional anisotropy (FA) values significantly correlated with symptom scores.ResultsIn patients with first-episode schizophrenia, positive symptoms correlated positively with FA scores in white matter associated with the right frontal lobe, left anterior cingulate gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right middle cingulate gyrus, and left cuneus. Importantly, FA in each of these regions was lower in patients than controls, but patients with more positive symptoms had FA values closer to controls. We found no significant correlations between FA and negative symptoms.ConclusionsThe newly-diagnosed, neuroleptic-naive patients had lower FA scores in the brain compared with controls. There was positive correlation between FA scores and positive symptoms scores in frontotemporal tracts, including left fronto-occipital fasciculus and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus. This implies that white matter dysintegrity is already present in the pre-treatment phase and that FA is likely to decrease after clinical treatment or symptom remission.

scholarly journals Clinical correlates of first episode schizophrenia-a comparative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 551
Author(s):  
Kathir M. ◽  
Pugazhendhi K. ◽  
Ravishankar J.
Keyword(s):  
Family History ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Major Mental Disorder ◽  
History Of ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia is a major mental disorder which has to be assessed early and managed actively even though long term functional outcome remains relatively poor. The aim of the study is to analyze negative symptoms, suicidal risk and substance use in first episode schizophrenics in comparison with multi-episode schizophrenics.Methods: 30 patients with drug naive first episode schizophrenia and 30 patients with multi episode schizophrenia, who attended the outpatient department of Psychiatry, Government Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India were studied to compare predisposing factors and spectrum of symptoms for Schizophrenia for a period of one year (January 2010-December 2010). Psychiatric questionnaire by Michael C. Hilton, DAST by Harvey A. Skinner, AUDIT by WHO, Suicide risk scale by National Health and Medical Research Council, PANSS by SR Kay were used to assess patients.Results: Unemployment and family history of suicide attempts were observed more in drug naive first episode schizophrenics. 90% of these patients had completed their primary education while 47% of multi-episode schizophrenics were illiterates. Positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinatory behaviour and suspiciousness) and negative symptoms (blunted affect, emotional withdrawal and social withdrawal) were observed more in first episode schizophrenics while PANSS, DAST, AUDIT scores did not find any differences between both the groups.Conclusions: In our study, the first episode schizophrenia patients were more educated, more unemployed and had more family history of suicide, elevated sub score of positive symptoms as measured by PANSS. Relative assessment of violence and serious behavior problems that are related to positive symptoms must be done and managed with anti psychotics.

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