Jin Zhao1, Qinji Su2, Feng Liu3, Zhikun Zhang2, Ranran Li1, Furong Zhu1, Renrong Wu1, Jingping Zhao4, Wenbin Guo5. 1. Department of Psychiatry, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 2. Mental Health Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. 3. Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China. 4. Department of Psychiatry, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: zhaojingping@csu.edu.cn. 5. Department of Psychiatry, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: guowenbin76@csu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alterations of white matter integrity have been implicated in patients with somatization disorder (SD). However, changes of white matter volume (WMV) remain unclear. This study is designed to examine regional WMV in patients with SD and to investigate the potential relationships between WMV abnormalities and personality traits, cognitive function, and symptom severity. METHODS: We recruited 25 first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD and 28 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls for the study. Personality traits, cognitive function, and symptom severity were assessed for all participants. Data were analyzed with the computational anatomy toolbox (CAT12) methods. RESULTS: Patients with SD exhibited a significantly increased WMV in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (t = 4.4009) and a significantly decreased WMV in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) (t = -3.4292) relative to healthy controls. No correlation was found between abnormal WMV and clinical/cognitive variables in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the presence of significant regional WMV abnormalities in first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD, which might improve understanding the pathophysiology of SD.
BACKGROUND: Alterations of white matter integrity have been implicated in patients with somatization disorder (SD). However, changes of white matter volume (WMV) remain unclear. This study is designed to examine regional WMV in patients with SD and to investigate the potential relationships between WMV abnormalities and personality traits, cognitive function, and symptom severity. METHODS: We recruited 25 first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD and 28 sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy controls for the study. Personality traits, cognitive function, and symptom severity were assessed for all participants. Data were analyzed with the computational anatomy toolbox (CAT12) methods. RESULTS:Patients with SD exhibited a significantly increased WMV in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (t = 4.4009) and a significantly decreased WMV in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) (t = -3.4292) relative to healthy controls. No correlation was found between abnormal WMV and clinical/cognitive variables in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the presence of significant regional WMV abnormalities in first-episode, drug-naive patients with SD, which might improve understanding the pathophysiology of SD.