ADC changes in schizophrenia: a diffusion-weighted imaging study

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2011 Apr;261(3):213-6. doi: 10.1007/s00406-010-0150-x. Epub 2010 Sep 26.

Abstract

Studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have shown multifocal reduction in anisotropy of white matter fibre tracts in schizophrenia, and a few of these also suggest changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). In this study, we assessed ADC in 18 patients with schizophrenia and 18 healthy controls using a voxel-based approach. We did not find evidence of statistically significant changes in ADC in either direction at P < 0.05 (FDR corrected) using different smoothing filter sizes; only at an uncorrected threshold of P < 0.001 did we find an increase in a small right prefrontal area close to our previous FA finding. Our findings therefore do not support ADC changes to be a marker of white matter or grey matter abnormalities in schizophrenia. Changes in other parameters like fractional anisotropy (FA) might be a more sensitive indicator of white matter pathology in this disorder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anisotropy
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Mapping*
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Schizophrenia / pathology*
  • Young Adult