Excessive Extracellular Volume Reveals a Neurodegenerative Pattern in Schizophrenia Onset

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2904-12.2012
• Publication Date: 2012-11-28T17:43:04Z
• Authors: Ofer Pasternak; Carl-Fredrik Westin; Sylvain Bouix; Larry J. Seidman; Jill M. Goldstein; Tsung-Ung W. Woo; Tracey L. Petryshen; Raquelle I. Mesho...; Robert W. McCarley; Ron Kikinis; Martha E. Shenton; Marek Kubicki
• Keywords: Degeneration (medical)

Diffusion MRI has been successful in identifying the existence of white matter abnormalities schizophrenia vivo. However, role these etiology is not well understood. Accumulating evidence from imaging, histological, genetic, and immunochemical studies support involvement axonal degeneration neuroinflammation--ubiquitous components neurodegenerative disorders--as underlying pathologies abnormalities. Nevertheless, current imaging modalities cannot distinguish neuroinflammation degeneration, therefore provide little specificity with respect to pathophysiology progression whether it related a process. Free-water new methodology that sensitive water molecules diffusing extracellular space. Excessive volume surrogate biomarker for can be separated out reveal such as affect diffusion characteristics tissue. We applied free-water on data acquired schizophrenia-diagnosed human subjects first psychotic episode. found significant increase both gray matter. In contrast, signs were limited focal areas frontal lobe Our findings demonstrate more prominent than early stage schizophrenia, revealing pattern shared by many disorders, which prolonged inflammation leads degeneration. These promote anti-inflammatory treatment diagnosed patients.