Heterochronicity of white matter development and aging explains regional patient control differences in schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Altered brain connectivity is implicated in the development and clinical burden of schizophrenia. Relative to matched controls, schizophrenia patients show (1) a global and regional reduction in the integrity of the brain's white matter (WM), assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fractional anisotropy (FA), and (2) accelerated age-related decline in FA values. In the largest mega-analysis to date, we tested if differences in the trajectories of WM tract development influenced patient-control differences in FA. We also assessed if specific tracts showed exacerbated decline with aging.

Methods

Three cohorts of schizophrenia patients (total n = 177) and controls (total n = 249; age = 18-61 years) were ascertained with three 3T Siemens MRI scanners. Whole-brai

SUBMITTER: Kochunov P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5118078 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature