Genetic analysis of anatomical and morphological brain parameters determined by magnetic resonance imaging in families of schizophrenic patients

Genetic analysis of clinical data and data obtained by magnetic resonance i maging (MRI) on 26 families of schizophrenic patients (26 probands who were patients with schizophrenia, 47 parents, and 15 siblings) revealed an enla rgement of the ventricular brain system both in probands and their affected and healthy relatives. Most MRI parameters had high coefficients of inheri tance and tended to be linked with positive and negative psychopathological symptoms. Our results confirm the hypothesis of genetic predisposition to the structural changes in the brains of schizophrenic patients and suggest that such MRI characteristics as the width of the anterior horn of the left lateral ventricle in the region of the caudate nucleus, the width of the c entral region of the left lateral ventricle, the width of the anterior horn of the right lateral ventricle in the region of the caudate nucleus, and t he width of the central region of the right lateral ventricle may serve as a marker of predisposition to schizophrenia.