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Caudate nucleus morphology in tardive dyskinesia
K W Brown1, T White, J M Wardlaw
1Central Scotland Healthcare Trust, Bellsdyke Hospital, Larbert.
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|November 1, 1996
Summary
Schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia had a larger left caudate nucleus than controls. This finding suggests that caudate nucleus size may help identify schizophrenia patients at risk for tardive dyskinesia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder.
- Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a potential side effect of antipsychotic medications.
- Understanding neuroanatomical differences in schizophrenia with and without TD is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in caudate nucleus size between schizophrenic patients with and without tardive dyskinesia.
- To explore potential neuroanatomical markers for tardive dyskinesia risk in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Involved 15 schizophrenic patients with persistent tardive dyskinesia and 21 controls.
- Utilized non-enhanced computerized tomography scans for brain imaging.
Main Results:
- Subjects with tardive dyskinesia exhibited a significantly larger left caudate nucleus.
- A trend towards a larger right caudate nucleus was observed in the dyskinetic group.
- No significant differences in cerebral atrophy measures were found between groups.
Conclusions:
- Findings align with models of neostriatal function in schizophrenia.
- Increased caudate nucleus size may serve as a potential biomarker for identifying schizophrenia patients at risk of developing tardive dyskinesia.