Grey Matter Changes and Schizophrenia Prediction
Author Information
Author(s): Job Dominic E, Whalley Heather C, McIntosh Andrew M, Owens David G, Johnstone Eve C, Lawrie Stephen M
Primary Institution: The University of Edinburgh
Hypothesis
Subjects at familial high risk of developing schizophrenia would have a reduction over time in grey matter, particularly in the temporal lobes, and that this reduction may predict schizophrenia better than clinical measurements.
Conclusion
Changes in grey matter could be used as part of a predictive test for schizophrenia in people at enhanced risk for familial reasons.
Supporting Evidence
- Eight of the 65 subjects went on to develop schizophrenia an average of 2.3 years after their first scan.
- The inferior temporal gyrus gave a 60% positive predictive value for developing schizophrenia.
- The negative predictive value was 92%, indicating a high accuracy for predicting who would not develop schizophrenia.
Takeaway
Scientists looked at brain scans of people at risk for schizophrenia and found that changes in certain brain areas can help predict who might develop the illness.
Methodology
Magnetic resonance images of 65 high-risk subjects were analyzed over a mean period of 1.52 years.
Potential Biases
The model may be overestimated as it was developed and tested on one sample.
Limitations
The test needs to be replicated with an independent sample to confirm its validity due to the limited number of subjects.
Participant Demographics
34 males and 31 females, average age 21.4 years at first scan.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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