Cerebral investigation of healthy siblings of schizophrenics

• Published in: European psychiatry Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 273 - 278
• Main Authors: Mourot, A, d'Amato, T, Rochet, T, Marie-Cardine, M, Artéaga, C, Martin, J.P., Dalery, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier SAS 1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; CT scan; Medical sciences; negative symptoms; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Schizophrenia; third ventricle; ventricular brain ratio; third ventricle; schizophrenia; CT scan; ventricular brain ratio; negative symptoms; Psychosis; Human; Third cerebral ventricle; Radiodiagnosis; Family study; Negative symptom; Schizophrenia; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Sibling; Morphometry; Lateral cerebral ventricle
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-9338(97)84785-2

Computed tomography (CT) studies have demonstrated that lateral ventricular size measured by ventricular brain ratio (VBR), as well as third ventricle width, is statistically enlarged in schizophrenics. Moreover, these cerebral abnormalities differ according to symptomatology evaluated with a positive and negative symptom scale. The aim of this study was to investigate, using CT scans, healthy siblings of schizophrenics, and relate the results to their ill siblings. Nineteen healthy siblings of 12 previously studied schizophrenics underwent CT scans, which were compared to those of their related schizophrenic sibling and to 17 unrelated control subjects. The results showed that in ten of 12 families, schizophrenics have larger ventricles (lateral and third ventricles) than their healthy siblings. Ventricular enlargement of healthy siblings was correlated with severity of negative symptoms of their ill sibling. Implications of a familial contribution for ventricular size and negative symptoms are discussed.