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. 2015 Feb 6;10(2):e0117785.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117785. eCollection 2015.

Hippocampal subfield volumes in first episode and chronic schizophrenia

Mitsuhiko Kawano  1 , Ken Sawada  2 , Shinji Shimodera  1 , Yasuhiro Ogawa  3 , Shinji Kariya  4 , Donna J Lang  5 , Shimpei Inoue  6 , William G Honer  7
Affiliations

Hippocampal subfield volumes in first episode and chronic schizophrenia

Mitsuhiko Kawano et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Reduced hippocampal volume in schizophrenia is a well-replicated finding. New imaging techniques allow delineation of hippocampal subfield volumes. Studies including predominantly chronic patients demonstrate differences between subfields in sensitivity to illness, and in associations with clinical features. We carried out a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of first episode, sub-chronic, and chronic patients, using an imaging strategy that allows for the assessment of multiple hippocampal subfields.

Methods: Hippocampal subfield volumes were measured in 34 patients with schizophrenia (19 first episode, 6 sub-chronic, 9 chronic) and 15 healthy comparison participants. A subset of 10 first episode and 12 healthy participants were rescanned after six months.

Results: Total left hippocampal volume was smaller in sub-chronic (p = 0.04, effect size 1.12) and chronic (p = 0.009, effect size 1.42) patients compared with healthy volunteers. The CA2-3 subfield volume of chronic patients was significantly decreased (p = 0.009, effect size 1.42) compared to healthy volunteers. The CA4-DG volume was significantly reduced in all three patient groups compared to healthy group (all p < 0.005). The two affected subfield volumes were inversely correlated with severity of negative symptoms (p < 0.05). There was a small, but statistically significant decline in left CA4-DG volume over the first six months of illness (p = 0.01).

Conclusions: Imaging strategies defining the subfields of the hippocampus may be informative in linking symptoms and structural abnormalities, and in understanding more about progression during the early phases of illness in schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: Dr. Honer has received consulting fees or sat on paid advisory boards for In Silico, Otsuka/Lundbeck, Roche, and Eli Lilly; received honoraria from Rush University, University of Ottawa, University of Calgary, and the Canadian Psychiatric Association; and received grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Hippocampal subfield segmentation in a representative subject.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Left hippocampal total and subfield volumes in control and schizophrenia groups.
(A) Hippocampal total and subfield volumes in healthy controls (Con, black open circles), first episode schizophrenia (FES, blue), sub-chronic schizophrenia (SCS, red) and chronic schizophrenia (CS, black) participants. Mean volumes were smaller in CS than Con for total (p = 0.004), CA2-3 (p = 0.003) and CA4-dentate (DG) (p < 0.001) subfields. (B) Relationships between duration of illness and hippocampal volumes. Non-parametric correlations were statistically significant for total (p = 0.004), CA2-3 (p = 0.003) and CA4-DG (p = 0.002). (C) Relationships between negative subscale scores on the PANSS and hippocampal volumes. Parametric correlations were statistically significant for CA2-3 (p = 0.02) and CA4-DG (p = 0.007).
Fig 3
Fig 3. Baseline and follow-up volumes of left hippocampus CA4-dentate gyrus subfield in first episode schizophrenia and healthy control participants.
A statistically significant diagnosis-by-time interaction was observed (p = 0.01).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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