Prefrontal gray matter volume reduction in first episode schizophrenia

Functional measures have consistently shown prefrontal abnormalities in sch izophrenia. However, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings o f prefrontal volume reduction have been less consistent. In this study, we evaluated prefrontal gray matter volume in first episode [first hospitalize d) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, compared with first episode patie nts diagnosed with affective psychosis and normal comparison subjects, to d etermine the presence in and specificity of prefrontal abnormalities to sch izophrenia. Prefrontal gray and white matter volumes were measured from fir st episode patients with schizophrenia (n = 17), and from gender- and paren tal socio-economic status-matched subjects with affective (mainly manic) ps ychosis (n = 17) and normal comparison subjects (n = 17), age-matched withi n a narrow age range (18-29 years). Total (left and right) prefrontal gray matter volume was significantly reduced in first episode schizophrenia comp ared with first episode affective psychosis and comparison subjects. Follow -up analyses indicated significant left prefrontal gray matter volume reduc tion and trend level reduction on the right. Schizophrenia patients showed 9.2% reduction on the left and 7.7% reduction on the right compared with co mparison subjects. White matter volumes did not differ among groups. These data suggest that prefrontal cortical gray matter Volume reduction is selec tively present at first hospitalization in schizophrenia but not affective psychosis.