Study Of Brain Structure By Magnetic Resonance Imaging In The First-episode Schizophrenics

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of brain structure abnormalities and its location in first episode, antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia, to provide some new clues to further elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease.MethodsAccording to the inclusion criteria,50patients with schizophrenia were included as a group of patients,30healthy volunteers as a normal control group. All patients enrolled were assessed by Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), and all subjects enrolled were scanned by Three-dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3D-MRI) on the first day. Scanned image data were gathered by the first pretreatment to exclude the influence of confounding factors such as head movement, and further to be processed to obtain the six self-image data of every individual: volume, surface area and thickness of each sub-region of the left and the right hemisphere of the brain. By applying SPSS20.0analysis, the local brain structures of two groups were compared using independent sample t test; correlations between PANSS score and the local abnormal brain structures were computed by Pearson correlation analysis.Results1. The comparison of the surface area of the two sets of brain regions:the differences of the surface area (unit:mm2) of two sets:Left isthmus cingulate (972.766±160.718, P=0.044), the patient group is smaller than the control (1059.540±196.188)2. The comparison of the thickness of the two sets of brain regions:the differences of the thickness (unit:mm) of two sets:bilateral frontal gyrus(left:2.668±0.199,p=0.001, right:2.678±0.204,p=0.025), bilateral precuneus (left:2.330±0.203,p=0.002right:2.351±0.179,p=0.012), left frontal pole (2.743±0.334, p=0.024), left rostral anterior cingulate (2.757±.287, p=0.014), left paracentral (t=2.944, p=0.004), left isthmus cingulate (2.512±0.238, p=0.020), right rostral middle frontal (2.372±0.122, p=0.047), the right triangle (2.409±0.161, p=0.031), right medial orbitofrontal cortex (2.382±0.205, p=0.009) the patient group are statistically significant smaller than the control group(2.812±0.171,2.775±0.145,2.448±0.122,2.436±0.114,2.932±0.392,2.888±0.175,2.241±0.158,2.636±0.204,2.428±0.115,2.490±0.155,2.506±0.195)3. The comparison of the volume of the two sets of brain regions:there are no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the volume of the brain regions (P>0.05)4. Correlation analysis between PANSS score and all abnormal brain regions:left frontal pole thickness (r=-0.296, P=0.037), left superior frontal gyrus thickness (r=-0.315, P=0.026), the left cingulate back isthmus thickness (r=-0.320, P=0.023), right middle frontal gyrus the beaks thickness (r=-0.294, P=0.038), the right middle frontal gyrus thickness (r=-0.300, P=0.034), right triangle thickness (r=-0.577, P=0.000) and PANSS negative symptom score was significantly negatively correlated; the left superior temporal gyrus surface area (r=-0.354, P=0.012), the right triangle Ministry thickness (r=-0.301, P=0.034) was significantly negatively correlated with the PANSS total score. ConclusionThe brain structures of the first episode, antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia, compared with the control group, are obvious abnormality:surface area reduced are mainly concentrated in the cingulate sub-region; the thinner areas are mainly concentrated in the sub-regions of the frontal lobe; these structural abnormalities in the initial stage of the disease have already existed, further supporting the neurodevelopmental hypothesis; correlation between brain structure abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms exists, prompting changes in brain structure may be the basis or results of psychiatric symptoms.