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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 181: s58-s65
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Structural magnetic resonance imaging in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, psychotic and severe non-psychotic depression and healthy controls

Results of the Schizophrenia and Affective Psychoses (SAP) project*

R. K. R. SALOKANGAS, MD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku University Central Hospital and Turku Psychiatric Clinic, Finland

T. CANNON, PhD and T. VAN ERP, MA

Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

T. ILONEN, PhD and T. TAIMINEN, MD

Turku University Central Hospital, Finland

H. KARLSSON, MD

Turku Psychiatric Clinic and Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Finland

H. LAUERMA, MD, K.-M. LEINONEN, MD, E. WALLENIUS, MD and A. KALIJONEN, MSc

Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Finland

E. SYVÄLAHTI, MD and H. VILKMAN, MD

Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Finland

A. ALANEN, MD

Department of Radiology, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland

J. HIETALA, MD

Turku Psychiatric Clinic and Turku PET Centre, Turku Central Hospital, Finland

Correspondence: Raimo K. R. Salokangas, Professor of Psychiatry, TUCH, Psychiatry Clinic, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. Tel: 358 2 3131 740; fax: 358 2 3132 730; e-mail: Raimo.K.R.Salokangas{at}tyks.fi

Declaration of interest None.

Funded by the Academy of Finland and Turku University Central Hospital.

* Presented in part at the European First Episode Schizophrenia Network Meeting, Whistler BC, Canada, 27 April 2001.

Background Structural brain abnormalities are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affective disorders.

Aims To study how regional brain volumes and their ratios differ between patients with schizophrenia, psychotic depression, severe non-psychotic depression and healthy controls.

Method Magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain on first-episode patients and on healthy controls.

Results Patients with schizophrenia had a smaller left frontal grey matter volume than the other three groups. Patients with psychotic depression had larger ventricular and posterior sulcal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes than controls. Patients with depression had larger white matter volumes than the other patients.

Conclusions Left frontal lobe, especially its grey matter volume, seems to be specifically reduced in first-episode schizophrenia. Enlarged cerebral ventricles and sulcal CSF volumes are prevalent in psychotic depression. Preserved or expanded white matter is typical of non-psychotic depression.




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The European First-Episode Schizophrenia Network
The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 181 (43): s1 - s2.
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