Allostatic load and reduced cortical thickness in schizophrenia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Schizophrenia is associated with reduced cerebral cortical gray matter thickness.
• Genetic and medication factors may contribute, but environmental factors like stress are also implicated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between allostatic load, a measure of cumulative stress, and cortical thickness in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD).

Main Methods:

• Allostatic load was calculated for 44 SSD patients and 33 normal controls (NC) using 13 biomarkers.
• Cortical thickness was measured using structural imaging.
• Statistical analyses controlled for age and accounted for allostatic load.

Main Results:

• SSD patients had significantly higher allostatic load and lower average cortical thickness than NC.
• Accounting for allostatic load reduced the difference in cortical thickness between groups.
• Elevated immune markers (C-reactive protein), stress hormones, and cardiovascular indices were associated with reduced cortical thickness in SSD.

Conclusions:

• Allostatic load may account for some gray matter deficits observed in schizophrenia.
• Inflammatory mechanisms, indicated by C-reactive protein, are particularly relevant to cortical thickness in both SSD patients and NC.