Hippocampal and anterior cingulate morphology in subjects at ultra-high-risk for psychosis: The role of family history of psychotic illness

Abstract

Background: While structural brain imaging abnormalities have been identified in schizophrenia and related disorders, it is unclear when they arise. Some appear to predate the illness and may be genetic in origin, while others are associated with the onset of the disorder. Methods: We examined the hippocampal volumes and anterior cingulate morphology from the MRI scans of 79 male subjects at ultra-high-risk (UHR) for developing psychosis, 35 of whom had a family history of schizophrenia, and compared them with 49 healthy male volunteers. Results: Analysis of covariance demonstrated that left hippocampal volumes were significantly smaller in the UHR group without a family history of schizophr..