J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2006 Jul;45(4):316-323.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Schizophrenia with Statistical Probabilistic Anatomical Mapping: A study of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Map

• Hong SB
• Shin YW
• Kim DJ
• Moon WJ
• Chung EC
• Lee JS
• Park HJ
• Kwon JS

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of schizophrenia, thus far, have mainly focused on white matter abnormalities reflected in anisotropy indices such as fractional anisotropy (FA), but recently, new implications of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) have been proposed. This is, to our knowledge, the first study to analyze ADC maps of schizophrenic patients using statistical parametric anatomical mapping (SPAM).
METHODS
DTI was performed in 20 schizophrenic patients and an equal number of age- and sex-matched healthy controls. ADC maps were then generated, from which 98 volumes of interest were extracted using SPAM. Probability-weighted mean values of ADC were calculated from each volume of interest and compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
Significantly higher mean ADC values were observed in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls in the following volumes of interest: hippocampal formation, bilateral uncus, right thalamus, right temporal lobe white matter, right superior temporal gyrus, bilateral insula and right lateral ventricle.
CONCLUSION
The results support the recently proposed assertion that regionally increased ADC may reflect cortical brain atrophy. In addition, a new possibility is raised that a neuropathological event involving both the gray and the white matter may also play a role.

Keyword

Schizophrenia; Diffusion tensor imaging; Apparent diffusion coefficient; Statistical parametric anatomical mapping

MeSH Terms

Anisotropy
Atrophy
Brain
Diffusion Tensor Imaging*
Diffusion*
Hippocampus
Humans
Lateral Ventricles
Schizophrenia*
Temporal Lobe
Thalamus