Regional specificity of cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in first episode schizophrenia
Source: Psychiatry Research
2006 Jan;146(1):21-33.
Author: Narr KL, Bilder RM, Woods RP, Thompson PM, Szeszko P, Robinson D, Ballmaier M, Messenger B, Wang Y, Toga AW. PubMed ID: 16386409
Abstract:
The timing and regional specificity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) enlargements have not been well described in schizophrenia.
High-resolution magnetic resonance images and computational image analysis methods were used to localize cross-sectional
changes in lateral ventricle and sulcal and subarachnoid CSF in first episode schizophrenia patients (51 males/21 females) and
healthy subjects (37 males/41 females). Volumes were obtained for each lateral ventricle horn and regional differences identified by
comparing the distances from the ventricular surfaces to the central core at anatomically matched locations. Extra-cortical CSF
differences were compared by measuring the proportion of CSF voxels sampled from spatially homologous cortical surface points.
Significant extra-cortical CSF enlargements were observed in first episode patients, where regional differences surrounded the
temporal, anterior frontal and parietal cortices. Volume and ventricular surface analyses failed to show significant effects of
diagnosis. However, interactions indicated dorsal superior horn expansions in female patients compared with same-sex controls.
Since ventricular enlargements are widely reported in chronic patients, our observations at first episode suggest ventricular
enlargement may progress after disease onset with early changes occurring around the dorsal superior horn. In contrast, sulcal and
subarachnoid CSF increases may be manifest near or before the first episode but after brain development is complete, reflecting
pronounced reductions in proximal brain tissue.