BRAIN ANATOMIC MRI IN CHILDHOOD PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS
Pediatric Psychopharmacology Clinic, McLean Hospital
Jean A. Frazier, M.D., Sufen Chiu, M.D., Ph.D., and Vamsi Koneru, B.A.
The broad aim of this study is to provide rigorous information about the brain anatomic correlates characterizing psychotic disorders in children and adolescents. There are an increasing number of neuroimaging studies appearing in the literature investigating the neurobiology of schizophrenia in children and adolescents, which have contributed enormously to the field. In sharp contrast, there are few neuroimaging studies that have been done on children and adolescents in the psychotic spectrum who do not meet criteria for schizophrenia. Children who suffer from psychotic disorders deal with extraordinary human suffering that results in grave impact on quality of life of the children and causes incredible stress for all family members. As a result, it is crucial to try to understand the underlying neurobiology of these illnesses in order to pave the way for improved treatment and prophylaxis. We will be conducting interviews, cognitive testing, a neurological examination, and MRI's with four groups of subjects consisting of twenty children and adolescents between the ages of 6-18: 1) children meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 2) children meeting DSM-IV criteria for BPD I with psychotic symptoms (either in the past or current), 3) children meeting criteria for BPD I without psychotic symptoms and 4) healthy volunteers without either schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder or Bipolar disorder (controls).
Keywords: Psychosis, MRI, brain
Grant Support: Sponsored by a Private Foundation "Brain Anataomic MRI in children with Psychotic Disorders"
Project Sites: McLean Hospital
Project Director: Jean A. Frazier, M.D. 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478.
Contact Person: Vamsi Koneru, B.A., Study Coordinator. Voicemail (617) 855-2880. Fax (617) 855-3691.
Representative Publications:
Frazier JA, Giedd J, Kaysen D, Albus K, Alaghband-Rad J, Lenane M, Breier A, Rapoport J. Childhood Onset Schizophrenia: Brain MRI Rescan After Two Years of Clozapine Maintenance. The American Journal of Psychiatry 1996; 153: 564-566.
Frazier JA, Giedd J, Hamburger SD, Albus K, Kaysen D, Vaituzis C, Rajapakse JC, Lenane MC, McKenna K, Jacobsen L, Gordon CT, Breier A, Rapoport JL. Brain anatomic magnetic resonance imaging in childhood onset schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry 1996; 53: 617-624.
Rapoport JL, Giedd J, Kumra S, Jacobsen L, Smith A, Lee P, Nelson J, Hamburger S. Childhood-onset schizophrenia. Progressive ventricular change during adolescence.
Archives of General Psychiatry1997; 54(10)897-903.