Diffusion abnormalities in the corpus callosum in first episode schizophrenia: Associated with enlarged lateral ventricles and symptomatology

Elisabetta C Del Re; Sylvain Bouix; Jennifer Fitzsimmons; Gabriëlla A M Blokland; Raquelle Mesholam-Gately; Joanne Wojcik; Zora Kikinis; Marek Kubicki; Tracey Petryshen; Ofer Pasternak; Martha E Shenton; Margaret Niznikiewicz

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2019.02.038

Diffusion abnormalities in the corpus callosum in first episode schizophrenia: Associated with enlarged lateral ventricles and symptomatology

Psychiatry Res. 2019 Jul:277:45-51. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.02.038. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
² Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Commonwealth Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, USA. Electronic address: Shenton@bwh.harvard.edu.
⁸ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Abnormalities in the corpus callosum (CC) and the lateral ventricles (LV) are hallmark features of schizophrenia. These abnormalities have been reported in chronic and in first episode schizophrenia (FESZ). Here we explore further associations between CC and LV in FESZ using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Methods: . Sixteen FESZ patients and 16 healthy controls (HC), matched on age, gender, and handedness participated in the study. Diffusion and structural imaging scans were acquired on a 3T GE Signa magnet. Volumetric measures for LV and DTI measures for five CC subdivisions were completed in both groups. In addition, two-tensor tractography, the latter corrected for free-water (FA_t), was completed for CC. Correlations between LV and DTI measures of the CC were examined in both groups, while correlations between DTI and clinical measures were examined in only FESZ.

Results: Results from two-tensor tractography demonstrated decreased FA_t and increased trace and radial diffusivity (RD_t) in the five CC subdivisions in FESZ compared to HC. Central CC diffusion measures in FESZ were significantly correlated with volume of the LV, i.e., decreased FA_t values were associated with larger LV volume, while increased RD_t and trace values were associated with larger LV volume. In controls, correlations were also significant, but they were in the opposite direction from FESZ. In addition, decreased FA_t in FESZ was associated with more positive symptoms.

Discussion: Partial volume corrected FA_t, RD_t, and trace abnormalities in the CC in FESZ suggest possible de- or dys-myelination, or changes in axonal diameters, all compatible with neurodevelopmental theories of schizophrenia. Correlational findings between the volume of LV and diffusion measures in FESZ reinforce the concept of a link between abnormalities in the LV and CC in early stages of schizophrenia and are also compatible with neurodevelopmental abnormalities in this population.

Keywords: Corpus callosum; First episode schizophrenia; Fractional anisotropy; Lateral ventricles.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Corpus Callosum / diagnostic imaging*
Corpus Callosum / pathology
Diffusion Tensor Imaging*
Female
Humans
Lateral Ventricles / diagnostic imaging*
Lateral Ventricles / pathology
Male
Schizophrenia / diagnostic imaging*
Schizophrenia / pathology
White Matter / diagnostic imaging
Young Adult

Diffusion abnormalities in the corpus callosum in first episode schizophrenia: Associated with enlarged lateral ventricles and symptomatology

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding