White Matter Integrity in Genetic High-Risk Individuals and First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients: Similarities and Disassociations

White matter (WM) neuroimaging studies have shown varied findings at different stages of schizophrenia (SZ). Understanding these variations may elucidate distinct markers of genetic vulnerability and conversion to psychosis. To examine the similarities and differences in WM connectivity between those at-risk for and in early stages of SZ, a cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging study of 48 individuals diagnosed with first-episode SZ (FE-SZ), 37 nonpsychotic individuals at a high genetic risk of SZ (GHR-SZ), and 67 healthy controls (HC) was conducted. Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the corpus callosum (CC), anterior cingulum (AC), and uncinate fasciculus (UF) was observed in both the GHR-SZ and FE-SZ groups, while decreased FAs in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and the fornix were only seen in the FE-SZ participants. Additionally, both GHR-SZ and FE-SZ showed worse executive performance than HC. The left SLF III FA was significantly positively correlated with hallucinations, and right SLF II was positively correlated with thought disorder. The presence of shared WM deficits in both FE-SZ and GHR-SZ individuals may reflect the genetic liability to SZ, while the disparate FA changes in the FE-SZ group may represent symptom-generating circuitry that mediates perceptual and cognitive disturbances of SZ and ultimately culminates in the onset of psychotic episodes.

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Reduced white matter integrity and facial emotion perception in never-medicated patients with first-episode schizophrenia: A diffusion tensor imaging study

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.03.025 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 77 ◽

pp. 57-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiaoxin Zhao ◽

Yuxiu Sui ◽

Jingjing Yao ◽

Yiding Lv ◽

Xinyue Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

Facial Emotion ◽

White Matter Integrity ◽

First Episode ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study ◽

Facial Emotion Perception

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White Matter Abnormalities in First-Episode Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

American Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1176/appi.ajp.162.3.602 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 162 (3) ◽

pp. 602-605 ◽

Cited By ~ 132

Author(s):

Philip R. Szeszko ◽

Babak A. Ardekani ◽

Manzar Ashtari ◽

Sanjiv Kumra ◽

Delbert G. Robinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Schizoaffective Disorder ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

First Episode ◽

White Matter Abnormalities ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

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Structural white matter abnormalities in never-medicated patients with first-episode schizophrenia : a diffusion tensor imaging study

10.5353/th_b3979373 ◽

2008 ◽

Author(s):

Vinci Cheung

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

First Episode ◽

White Matter Abnormalities ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

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The corpus callosum in first episode schizophrenia: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry ◽

10.1136/jnnp.2004.042952 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 585-587 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

G Price

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

Corpus Callosum ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

First Episode ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

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Risperidone-induced topological alterations of anatomical brain network in first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia patients: a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291716001380 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (12) ◽

pp. 2549-2560 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

M. Hu ◽

X. Zong ◽

J. Zheng ◽

J. J. Mann ◽

Z. Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽

White Matter ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Imaging Study ◽

First Episode ◽

Longitudinal Diffusion ◽

Before And After ◽

Drug Naïve ◽

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether the topological deficits of the white matter network documented in cross-sectional studies of chronic schizophrenia patients are due to chronic illness or to other factors such as antipsychotic treatment effects. To answer this question, we evaluated the white matter network in medication-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) before and after a course of treatment.MethodWe performed a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study in 42 drug-naive FESP at baseline and then after 8 weeks of risperidone monotherapy, and compared them with 38 healthy volunteers. Graph theory was utilized to calculate the topological characteristics of brain anatomical network. Patients’ clinical state was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) before and after treatment.ResultsPretreatment, patients had relatively intact overall topological organizations, and deficient nodal topological properties primarily in prefrontal gyrus and limbic system components such as the bilateral anterior and posterior cingulate. Treatment with risperidone normalized topological parameters in the limbic system, and the enhancement positively correlated with the reduction in PANSS-positive symptoms. Prefrontal topological impairments persisted following treatment and negative symptoms did not improve.ConclusionsDuring the early phase of antipsychotic medication treatment there are region-specific alterations in white matter topological measures. Limbic white matter topological dysfunction improves with positive symptom reduction. Prefrontal deficits and negative symptoms are unresponsive to medication intervention, and prefrontal deficits are potential trait biomarkers and targets for negative symptom treatment development.

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