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Changes of cerebral gray matter pre- and post-treatment in patients with schizophrenia

XIANG Qiong1, WANG Ying-chan1*, ZHU Dian-ming1, ZHUO Kai-ming1, WANG Zheng2, XU Yi-feng1, LIU Deng-tang1   

  1. 1. Division of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; 2. Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institute for Biological Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai 200031, China
  • Online:2017-02-28 Published:2017-02-28
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81371479; Foundation of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, 15411964400; Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, 2014ZYJB0002, 20134006, 20144Y0054; Shanghai Municipal Hospital Appropriate Technology Programme, SHDC12014214; Project of Shanghai Clinical Center for Mental Disorders, 2014; Early Psychosis Program of Shanghai Mental Health Center, 2013-YJTSZK-05; Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai, 16ZR1430500

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Abstract:

Objective · To observe the changes of cerebral gray matter pre- and post-treatment with short term drugs in patients with schizophrenia. Methods · T1-weighted brain MRIs were obtained on a 3T scanner in 21 controls and 27 subjects with schizophrenia who were not given antipsychotic medication. The controls and 21 schizophrenia patients received the second scan after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) were used to investigate the differences in gray matter (GM), mainly about the regional GM volumes. Results · GM volumes were significantly smaller in the patient group than those of healthy controls in left cerebellum posterior lobe , left and right parahippocampalgyrus, left middle temporal gyrus(P=0.000, voxels>50). GM volumes extensively decreased after 8 weeks of antipsychotic-treatment compared with pre-treatment in the superior, middle, and inferior temporal gyri, superior,middle and inferior frontal gyri, parahippocampa gyri, cingulate gyri, right supramarginal gyrus, right cerebellum posterior lobe, and right lingual gyrus(P=0.000, voxels>50). Conclusion · Short term antipsychotic treatment (8 weeks) may have adverse effects on the gray matter of patients with acute schizophrenia by reducing the volume of gray matter.

Key words: schizophrenia, grey matter, voxel-based morphometry, antipsychotics, magnetic resonance imaging