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Neuromorphological abnormalities in schizophrenic patients with good and poor outcome
A Rossi1, M Bustini, P Prosperini
1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
Objective:
The present study was designed specifically to assess the relationship between brain morphology and outcome in schizophrenia.
Method:
Fifty-six schizophrenic patients and a matched group of 32 healthy subjects were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scans. Clinical assessment included the Krawiecka-Manchester Scale (K-MS) and the Outcome scale by Strauss and Carpenter.
Results:
Along several neuromorphological measures the patients differed from controls only for right and left ventricular volumes. The 'poor outcome' patients had a left and right ventricular enlargement when compared to the 'good outcome' patients and healthy controls. A regression analysis showed that right ventricle volume, left temporal lobe volume and left hippocampal volume entered into the regression equation, accounting for a 27% of the outcome measure.
Conclusion:
The outcome does not seem to be predicted by one particular morphological site but involves different brain regions; however, the ventricular enlargement identifies a subgroup of patients with poor outcome.