Understanding the link between childhood trauma and schizophrenia: A systematic review of neuroimaging studies

Increasing evidence suggests that childhood trauma (CT) is a major risk factor for schizophrenia but the underpinning mechanisms of their association remain unclear. Our aim is to review the literature on the association between CT and brain imaging measurements in adult schizophrenia subjects. We conducted a systematic review of the existing neuroimaging literature on CT and schizophrenia. We reviewed studies considering adult subjects with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or first episode schizophrenia. A total of 15 studies were included. The most replicated result was the association in schizophrenia patients between CT and decreased total cerebral grey matter, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, studies suggest a different sensitivity to early stressors between schizophrenia subjects, their sibling and healthy unrelated subjects. In schizophrenia, CT is associated with alterations of white matter integrity in the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and the forceps major. Functional connectivity studies suggest an association between CT and a network including the amygdala, the anterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex region and the temporo-parietal junction.