Alterations in the cerebral white matter of genetic high risk offspring of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder

Alterations in white matter (WM) may be seen in young relatives at risk and may underlie vulnerability to schizophrenia. We were interested in exploring which of the WM regions were altered in adolescent offspring at familial risk for schizophrenia. We examined structural alterations in the offspring of subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (HR; n = 65; 36 males) and healthy controls (HC; n = 80: 37 males) matched for age and education. MRI images were collected using a GE 1.5 T scanner at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Image processing was done using FreeSurfer (MGH) by an experienced rater blind to clinical data. We used multivariate analysis of covariance, with intracranial volume (p > 0.05) and age as covariates. High Risk offspring had significant reductions in total WM, hemispheric WM and WM within left parietal and left cingulate cortices. Male offspring had more pronounced right hemisphere WM reductions than females.

► Our study compares WM volumes in genetic high risk against control subjects.
► WM volume in the R hemisphere was reduced by 6.68% in high risk subjects.
► Left hemisphere WM was also reduced by 6.5 %.
► Male HR brains showed a greater reduction in the R hemisphere WM.
► WM volumes of L parietal lobe, and L cingulate cortex were reduced in HR subjects.