Negative symptoms and longitudinal gray matter tissue loss in adolescents at risk of psychosis: Preliminary findings from a 6-year follow-up study.

Background
Negative symptoms are perhaps the most disabling feature of schizophrenia. Their pathogenesis remains poorly understood and it has been difficult to assess their development over time with imaging techniques.

Aims
To examine, using tensor-based structural imaging techniques, whether there are regions of progressive gray matter volume change associated with the development of negative symptoms.

Method
43 adolescents at risk of psychosis were examined using magnetic resonance imaging and whole-brain tensor-based morphometry at two time points, 6 years apart.

Results
When comparing the individuals with significant negative symptoms with the remaining participants, we identified 5 regions of significant gray matter tissue loss over the 6-year period. These regions included the left temporal lobe, the left cerebellum, the left posterior cingulate and the left inferior parietal sulcus.

Conclusions
Negative symptoms are associated with longitudinal gray matter tissue loss. The regions identified include areas associated with all psychotic symptoms, but also include regions uniquely associated negative symptoms.