Structural brain abnormalities in individuals with an at-riskmental state who later develop psychosis

BackgroundNeuroanatomical abnormalities are a well-established feature ofschizophrenia. However, the timing of their emergence and the extent towhich they are related to vulnerability to the disorder as opposed topsychotic illness itself is unclearAimsTo assess regional grey matter volume in the at-risk individuals whosubsequently developed psychosisMethodMagnetic resonance imaging data from at-risk individuals who developedpsychosis (n = 12) within the following 25 months werecompared with data from healthy volunteers (n=22) andpeople with first-episode psychosis (n=25)ResultsCompared with healthy volunteers, individuals who subsequently developedpsychosis had smaller grey matter volume in the posterior cingulategyrus, precuneus, and paracentral lobule bilaterally and in the leftsuperior parietal lobule, and greater grey matter volume in a leftparietal/posterior temporal region. Compared with first-episode patients,they had relatively greater grey matter volume in the temporal gyrusbilaterally and smaller grey matter volume in the right lentiformnucleusConclusionsSome of the structural brain abnormalities in individuals with an at-riskmental state may be related to an increased vulnerability to psychosis,while others are associated with the development of a psychoticillness