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Increased Intracerebral Cerebrospinal Fluid Spaces Predict Unemployment and Negative Symptoms in Psychotic Illness a Prospective Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jim Van Os*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry and King's College Hospital, London
Thomas A. Fahy
Affiliation:
Maudsley Hospital, London
Peter Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry and King's College Hospital, London
Ian Harvey
Affiliation:
Coventry Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave, Coventry
Shôn Lewis
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychiatry, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, London
Maureen Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College and Maudsley Hospitals, London
Brian Toone
Affiliation:
King's College and Maudsley Hospitals, London
Robin Murray
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and King's College Hospital, London
*
Dr Jim van Os, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF

Extract

Background

It has been suggested that the dimensions of cerebral ventricles are a risk factor for poor outcome in psychotic illness.

Method

A cohort of 140 patients with functional psychoses of recent onset who had undergone CT scanning, were followed up for an average of 46 months and assessed on six dimensions of course and outcome of illness.

Results

Left and right sylvian fissure volumes and, to a lesser extent, third ventricular volume predicted negative symptoms and unemployment over the course of follow-up, the latter association being mediated by poor cognitive functioning. There was a significant linear trend in risk over the distribution of sylvian fissure volumes in the cohort, and associations were especially evident in schizophrenic patients. No associations were found with global severity of illness, duration of hospital stay, homelessness, or affective symptoms.

Conclusions

These findings support the notion that dimensions of the cerebral ventricles are a continuous risk factor for some measures of outcome in the functional psychoses.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1995 

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