CEREBRAL VENTRICLE DIMENSIONS AS RISK-FACTORS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA AND AFFECTIVE PSYCHOSIS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC APPROACH TO ANALYSIS

A case-control study was undertaken of volumetric computerized tomogra phic scan measures in 216 consecutive admissions for functional psycho sis and 67 healthy community controls. Odds ratio analysis demonstrate d significant linear trends in the association between increasing late ral and third ventricle volumes, and both RDC schizophrenia (N = 121) and schizoaffective disorder (N = 41); cases were consistently associa ted with larger volumes than controls. There was an association betwee n larger third, but not lateral, ventricle size in affective psychoses (N = 54). These associations were statistically independent of intrac ranial-volume, sex, social class and ethnicity, factors which were sig nificantly associated with ventricular measures in the controls. There was no evidence of a threshold corresponding to the notion of normal versus enlarged ventricles. Within the schizophrenia group, there were no large or significant associations between ventricle dimensions and age at onset, duration of illness or pre-morbid social functioning. N either obstetric complications nor a family history of schizophrenia o r other psychiatric illness was associated with large ventricles in th ese cases.