J de Nijs1, H G Schnack1, M G J C Koevoets1, M Kubota1,2, R S Kahn1,3, N E M van Haren1, W Cahn1. 1. Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 2. Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NY, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent in schizophrenia and often a consequence of unhealthy behaviour. Reward-related brain areas might be associated with MS, since they play a major role in regulating health behaviour. This study examined the relationship between MS and brain volumes related to the reward system in schizophrenia. METHOD: We included patients with schizophrenia, with MS (MS+; n = 23), patients with schizophrenia, without MS (MS-; n = 48), and healthy controls (n = 54). Global brain volumes and volumes of (sub)cortical areas, part of the reward circuit, were compared between patients and controls. In case of a significant brain volume difference between patients and controls, the impact of MS in schizophrenia was examined. RESULTS: Patients had smaller total brain (TB; P = 0.001), GM (P = 0.010), larger ventricles (P = 0.026), and smaller reward circuit volume (P < 0.001) than controls. MS+ had smaller TB (P = 0.017), GM (P = 0.008), larger ventricles (P = 0.015), and smaller reward circuit volume (P = 0.002) than MS-. MS+ had smaller orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; P = 0.002) and insula volumes (P = 0.005) and smaller OFC (P = 0.008) and insula cortical surface area (P = 0.025) compared to MS-. CONCLUSION: In schizophrenia, structural brain volume reductions in areas of the reward circuitry appear to be related to comorbid MS.
OBJECTIVE:Metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent in schizophrenia and often a consequence of unhealthy behaviour. Reward-related brain areas might be associated with MS, since they play a major role in regulating health behaviour. This study examined the relationship between MS and brain volumes related to the reward system in schizophrenia. METHOD: We included patients with schizophrenia, with MS (MS+; n = 23), patients with schizophrenia, without MS (MS-; n = 48), and healthy controls (n = 54). Global brain volumes and volumes of (sub)cortical areas, part of the reward circuit, were compared between patients and controls. In case of a significant brain volume difference between patients and controls, the impact of MS in schizophrenia was examined. RESULTS:Patients had smaller total brain (TB; P = 0.001), GM (P = 0.010), larger ventricles (P = 0.026), and smaller reward circuit volume (P < 0.001) than controls. MS+ had smaller TB (P = 0.017), GM (P = 0.008), larger ventricles (P = 0.015), and smaller reward circuit volume (P = 0.002) than MS-. MS+ had smaller orbitofrontal cortex (OFC; P = 0.002) and insula volumes (P = 0.005) and smaller OFC (P = 0.008) and insula cortical surface area (P = 0.025) compared to MS-. CONCLUSION: In schizophrenia, structural brain volume reductions in areas of the reward circuitry appear to be related to comorbid MS.
Authors: Sean R McWhinney; Katharina Brosch; Vince D Calhoun; Benedicto Crespo-Facorro; Nicolas A Crossley; Udo Dannlowski; Erin Dickie; Lorielle M F Dietze; Gary Donohoe; Stefan Du Plessis; Stefan Ehrlich; Robin Emsley; Petra Furstova; David C Glahn; Alfonso Gonzalez-Valderrama; Dominik Grotegerd; Laurena Holleran; Tilo T J Kircher; Pavel Knytl; Marian Kolenic; Rebekka Lencer; Igor Nenadić; Nils Opel; Julia-Katharina Pfarr; Amanda L Rodrigue; Kelly Rootes-Murdy; Alex J Ross; Kang Sim; Antonín Škoch; Filip Spaniel; Frederike Stein; Patrik Švancer; Diana Tordesillas-Gutiérrez; Juan Undurraga; Javier Váquez-Bourgon; Aristotle Voineskos; Esther Walton; Thomas W Weickert; Cynthia Shannon Weickert; Paul M Thompson; Theo G M van Erp; Jessica A Turner; Tomas Hajek Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2022-06-14 Impact factor: 13.437