A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of White Matter in Early-Onset Schizophrenia

Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of first-episode psychosis in young adult male patients: combined analysis of grey and white matter

“…We found lower fractional anisotropy in our first-episode psychosis group than in the control group in the genu of the corpus callosum and in the right minor forceps (as reported by Perez-Iglesias and colleagues 16 ), in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and the right corticospinal tract (as reported by Kyriakopoulos and colleagues 17 ), and in the left middle cerebellar peduncle (as reported by Kyriakopoulos and colleagues 19 ). Compared to ROI studies, our findings are congruent with the lower fractional anisotropy reported in the genu of the corpus callosum, right superior longitudinal fasciculus and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus in patients with first-episode psychosis.…”

“…16,17 Other areas of lower fractional anisotropy included the uncinate fasciculus, cingulum bundle, anter ior thalamic radiation, corticospinal tract and cerebellum projections. [16][17][18][19] Similarly, ROI studies reported a lower fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, uncinate fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in patients with first-episode psychosis. 20,21 Axial, radial and mean diffusivity data were not conclusive in patients with first-episode psychosis.…”

White Matter Microstructure in Individuals at Clinical High Risk of Psychosis: A Whole-Brain Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

“…For example, a DTI study in early-onset schizophrenics revealed bilateral parietal, but not frontal or temporal, alterations in FA. 29 Furthermore, the meta-analysis cited above 17 revealed that right frontoparietal white matter volume (including fibers of the SLF) is increased in FE patients, both in comparison with healthy controls and chronic patients, which would be compatible with a more acute pathology in this region in the early stages of psychotic illness. Another study, assessing the longitudinal gray matter loss in very early-onset schizophrenia, found a striking posterior to anterior dynamic, with gray matter volumes decreasing in the parietal lobe first, and only later in the "classical" schizophrenia regions, the frontal and temporal lobes.…”

Investigation of Anatomical Thalamo-Cortical Connectivity and fMRI Activation in Schizophrenia

“…This is not the first study pointing to altered diffusion parameters in the thalamus or thalamocortical pathways. DTI findings supporting altered integrity of thalamocortical connectivity in schizophrenia include controversial alterations of fractional anisotropy in the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) Kubicki et al, 2005;Mamah et al, 2010;Sprooten et al, 2009;Sussmann et al, 2009;Zhang et al, 2010;Zhou et al, 2008, but see Ashtari et al, 2007;Kito et al, 2009;Kyriakopoulos et al, 2008;Szeszko et al, 2005;White et al, 2007 for negative findings in younger individuals and Beasley et al, 2009 for lack of evidence of myelin abnormalities post-mortem), of the tracts connecting to the LPFC (Kim et al, 2008;Oh et al, 2009) and altered FA (Hashimoto et al, 2009) or mean diffusivity in the thalamus itself (Agarwal et al, 2008;Rose et al, 2006;Spoletini et al, 2011). Kim et al (2007) have performed a similar DTI study, with an identical a-priori hypothesis, but found only differences in the thalamic CDR defined by connectivity to the orbitofrontal, parietal, and medial prefrontal cortices.…”