Ebner Florian, Tepest Ralf, Dani Indra, Pfeiffer Ute, Schulze Thomas G, Rietschel Marcella, Maier Wolfgang, Träber Frank, Block Wolfgang, Schild Hans H, Wagner Michael, Steinmetz Helmuth, Gaebel Wolfgang, Honer William G, Schneider-Axmann Thomas, Falkai Peter
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Germany.
Schizophr Res. 2008 Sep;104(1-3):71-8. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2008.06.007. Epub 2008 Jul 25.
Hippocampal volume reduction is a well replicated finding in schizophrenia. Evidence indicates a contribution of genetic and environmental factors, especially the influence of obstetric complications to this volume reduction. The aim of this study was to compare hippocampal volume of schizophrenic patients as well as and their relatives with control subjects and to quantify the additional contribution of obstetric complications.
T1 weighted MRI brain scans of 50 schizophrenic patients, 88 first-degree relatives and 53 healthy control subjects were used to perform volumetric measurements on the left and right hippocampus. A set of clinical measures including obstetric complications were recorded for all family members.
Numerically our measurements revealed a hippocampal volume reduction in schizophrenic patients (left: -14%, right: -15%) and, although less pronounced, in their unaffected relatives (left: -6%, right: -10%). Noted differences in hippocampal volume between schizophrenic patients and controls were only significant for the left side. Hippocampal volumes of patients and their relatives with obstetric complications were reduced bilaterally.
Hippocampal volume reduction is present in schizophrenic patients and their first-degree relatives, suggesting an influence of genetic factors. In addition, however, obstetric complications have also been shown to play a major role.
海马体体积减小是精神分裂症中一项得到充分验证的发现。有证据表明遗传和环境因素都对此有影响，尤其是产科并发症对海马体体积减小的影响。本研究的目的是比较精神分裂症患者及其亲属与对照组的海马体体积，并量化产科并发症的额外影响。
使用50名精神分裂症患者、88名一级亲属和53名健康对照者的T1加权MRI脑部扫描图像，对左右海马体进行体积测量。记录所有家庭成员的一系列临床指标，包括产科并发症。
从数值上看，我们的测量结果显示精神分裂症患者的海马体体积减小（左侧：-14%，右侧：-15%），其未患病的亲属海马体体积也减小（左侧：-6%，右侧：-10%），不过程度较轻。精神分裂症患者与对照组之间海马体体积的差异仅在左侧显著。有产科并发症的患者及其亲属的海马体体积双侧均减小。
精神分裂症患者及其一级亲属存在海马体体积减小，提示遗传因素的影响。然而，此外产科并发症也被证明起主要作用。
