A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Brain structure in different psychosis risk groups in the Northern Finland 1986 Birth Cohort
Authors: Andres Roman-Urrestarazu, Graham K. Murray, Anna Barnes, Jouko Miettunen, Erika Jääskeläinen, Pirjo Mäki, Juha Nikkinen, Jukka Remes, Sari Mukkala, Jenni Koivukangas, Markus Heinimaa, Irma Moilanen, John Suckling, Vesa Kiviniemi, Peter B. Jones, Juha Veijola
Publication year: 2014
Journal: Schizophrenia Research
Volume: 153
Issue: 1-3
First page : 143
Last page: 149
Number of pages: 7
ISSN: 0920-9964
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2013.12.019
We tested the hypothesis that family risk for psychosis (FR) and clinical risk for psychosis (CR) are associated with structural brain abnormalities, with increased deficits in those at both family risk and clinical risk for psychosis (FRCR). The study setting was the Oulu Brain and Mind Study, with subjects drawn from the Northern Finland 1986 Birth Cohort (n = 9479) using register and questionnaire based screening, and interviews using the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms. After this procedure, 172 subjects were included in the study, classified as controls (n = 73) and three risk groups: FR excluding CR (FR, n = 60), CR without FR (CR, n = 26), and individuals at both FR and CR (FRCR, n = 13). T1-weighted brain scans were acquired and processed in a voxel-based analysis using permutation-based statistics. In the comparison between FRCR versus controls, we found lower greymatter volume (GMV) in a cluster (1689 voxels at−4.00,−72.00,−18.00 mm) covering both cerebellar hemispheres and the vermis. This cluster was subsequently used as a mask to extract mean GMV in all four groups: FR had a volume intermediate between controls and FRCR. Within FRCR there was an association between cerebellar cluster brain volume and motor function. These findings are consistent with an evolving pattern of cerebellar deficits in psychosis risk with the most pronounced deficits in those at highest risk of psychosis.