Chandan Shah1, Wenjing Zhang1, Yuan Xiao2, Li Yao2, Xin Gao2, Lu Liu2, Jieke Liu2, Siyi Li2, Qiyong Gong2, and Su Lui2
1Radiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, People's Republic of, 2Chengdu, China, People's Republic of
Current study provides an insight about the brain morphological
changes of first episode schizophrenia patients at drug-naive state and after
antipsychotic treatment. Our study reveals that GM changes in frontal, temporal and
insular regions are the fundamental regions of pathologic GM
changes in first-episode schizophrenia irrespective of antipsychotic
medication. This common pattern of GM changes in first episode schizophrenia
patients with and without antipsychotics suggest the anatomical deficits
involved in the fronto-temporal and limbic regions are likely to be the trait-
instead of state-related changes at the early course of illness in
schizophrenia.
Until now only assumptions have been made about the
potential effects of antipsychotics rather than making a strong statement due
to lack of proper investigation methods and also due to difficulty in gaining
access to a satisfactory number of drug naïve and medicated patients group of
the same age. We therefore hope this study would be helpful in providing important
information about the pathology of the schizophrenic brain after the early
course of treatment with antipsychotics.
