Alterations in white matter integrity in first-episode, treatment-naive patients with somatization disorder

Abstract

White matter (WM) abnormality in somatization disorder (SD) has not been reported yet. This study was designed to elucidate the alterations in WM integrity in SD. A total of 25 patients with SD and 28 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. WM integrity was analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics. No differences were found between the patients and the controls for fractional anisotropy (FA) values, mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity values at the corrected p<0.05 level. Patients with SD had significantly decreased FA values in the cingulum and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and significantly increased MD values in the anterior thalamic radiation and corticospinal tract compared with the controls at the uncorrected p<0.005 level. Somatization severity was correlated with the FA values of the cingulum and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus in the patients. The patients exhibit suggestive alterations in WM integrity in the cingulum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, anterior thalamic radiation, and corticospinal tract.