Cerebellar morphology as a predictor of symptom and psychosocial outcome in schizophrenia

Background: In this study, we examined whether brain morphology assessed ea rly in the course of schizophrenia predicted psychosocial or symptomatic ou tcome. Methods: We acquired magnetic resonance images on 63 subjects with schizoph renia spectrum disorders and manually traced regions of interest, including the cerebrum, temporal lobes, ventricles, and cerebellum. Subjects were th en prospectively assessed every 6 months for an average of 7 years. Outcome symptom measures were longitudinal rather than cross-sectional, and includ ed average number of weeks per year spent in a psychotic, negative, or diso rganized symptom syndrome, and average number of weeks of inpatient treatme nt per year. A psychosocial outcome measure summed ratings of impairment in employment, recreation, sexual activity and interpersonal relationships. Results: Negative associations were found between cerebellar volume and thr ee outcome measures: negative and psychotic symptom duration, and psychosoc ial impairment. Conclusions: These results underscore the potential role of cerebellar abno rmalities in the etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Biol Psychi atry 1999;45: 41-48 (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.