Diffusion tensor imaging analyses of white matter in healthy siblings of schizophrenics

Abstract

To explore the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) features of white matter in healthy siblings of schizophrenics. Twenty healthy siblings of schizophrenics and 45 healthy controls without a family history of mental disorder. They responded to advertised recruitment during December 2009 and March 2012. All participants underwent diffusion weighted magnetic resonance images 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 t-test with SPM5 software. The healthy siblings of schizophrenics demonstrated a significant decrease of regional white matter FA values in right anterior cingulated (MNI: x = 9, y = 43, z = 4; cluster = 106). Reduced white matter integrity in right anterior cingulated may be a risk actor of schizophrenia.