Diffusion tensor imaging analyses of white matter at an early stage of first-episode schizophrenia

Abstract

To explore the roles of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of white matter at an early stage of schizophrenia. The participants were 20 first-episode, medication-naïve schizophrenics at an early stage (1 - 6 months) and 20 healthy controls adjusted in gender and age during December 2009 and October 2010. They underwent diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging with a single-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence aligned to straight axial plane. The fractional anisotropy (FA) images of two groups underwent two-sample paired t-test with SPM5 software. The schizophrenics at an early stage demonstrated a significant decrease of regional white matter FA values in right anterior cingulated (MNI: x = 12, y = 24, z = -10; cluster = 145) and right middle occipital lobe (MNI: x = 36, y = -76, z = -2; cluster = 135). The altered white matter DTI in right anterior cingulated and middle occipital lobe may contribute to an early detection of schizophrenia.