A magnetic resonance imaging study of corpus callosum size in familial schizophrenic subjects,their relatives, and normal controls

Abstract

The corpus callosum is one of several brain regions thought to be abnormal in schizophrenia. We sought to investigate whether the size of the corpus callosum would be abnormally small in schizophrenic subjects from families with familial schizophrenia and their healthy relatives. We wished to determine whether an abnormal corpus callosum size is found in healthy relatives who are genetically at a greater risk than normal of developing or transmitting the disorder. Twenty-seven familial schizophrenics, 53 of their healthy first-degree relatives, and 35 normal volunteers underwent MRI brain scans. We defined 11 of the relatives as presumed ‘obligate carriers’, i.e. an individual who appears to be transmitting the schizophrenic gene(s). The mid-sagittal slice of the corpus callosum and the whole brain volume were measured blind to diagnostic and family group. We found no difference between schizophrenics, their relatives, and normal controls in the mid-sagittal area of the corpus callosum. There remained no difference when the relatives were divided into two groups comprising presumed ‘obligate carriers’ and ‘non-obligate carriers’. Adjusting for age and whole brain area made no difference to the results. Families with several schizophrenic members are not associated with abnormality in the size of the corpus callosum.