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Brain imaging in late‐onset schizophrenia and related psychoses
Author(s) -
Krull Alice J.,
Press Gary,
Dupont Renee,
Harris M. Jackuelyn,
Jeste Dilip V.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930060907
Subject(s) - schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , hyperintensity , psychosis , magnetic resonance imaging , etiology , neuroimaging , medicine , white matter , disease , psychology , psychiatry , radiology
In this article we review the published studies on brain imaging in late‐life psychoses, and present data from our study of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain in late‐onset schizophrenia (LOS). MR images were obtained in 11 patients with late‐onset schizophrenia (LOS), nine patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), and nine normal controls comparable in age, gender, and education. Two of the LOS patients were excluded from further analysis due to the presence of diagnosable organic pathology (i.e. Alzheimer's disease and presence of a subaracnoid cyst). The MR images were subjectively rated for both degree of ventricular enlargement (VE) and degree of abnormal white matter hyperintensities (WHM) by an experienced, board certified neuroradiologist in a blind manner. No significant differences were found among the groups on degree of abnormal WHM. MR images of AD patients had a significantly greater degree of VE than normal controls, with LOS patients being intermediate. Our data, for LOS and have evidence of non‐specific abnormalities in brain morphology on MR imaging, yet do not have clinical or MR imaging evidence of a specific organic etiology for psychosis.