Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Chronic Schizophrenia Brain White Matter Structure Research

[Objective] Using f-MRI can study chronic schizophrenia patient’s cerebral white matter structure, and can explore the correlation of white matter structural with clinical symptoms and cognitive function of patients with schizophrenia. MRI can indirectly reflect the abnormal area of cerebral white matter structure and function of neural network connection of schizophrenia patients. This study in order to provide the anatomical basis and to explore the neural mechanism of the abnormal behavior of patients with chronic schizophrenia.[Methods](1)Adopt the Diagnostic and statistical manual (fourth edition) to diagnosis the research patients. There are24cases in test team and23cases in control team, who have the matched data in age, sex, handedness and education level.We assessed the clinical symptoms of all the research objects by Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), we also assessed the patient’s mental executive function using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST),all the tests are performed by specially trained psychiatrists.(2)MRI part:Using the Holland PHILPS Achieva3.0TX superconducting MRI scanner,8channel phase front head circle for regular whole brain scan. The people who have organic brain disease must be excluded, and the people who have normal brain structure can in the process of magnetic resonance data acquisition, both groups have DTI data collection.(3) Data post-processing process: We must exclude images which have quality problems before data post-process, we used SPM8software for data post-processing, and we adopt two sample T test for data post-processing which depend on voxel-based analysis(VBA).White matter’s FA, MD and RD value was compared in two groups, when P<0.05the difference was statistically significant. [Results]1. Patients with chronic SZ group and normal control group brain white matter FA value comparison:We found a significant FA reduction in white matter in patients with chronic SZ group., such as bilateral frontal lobe (bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral anterior cingulate), bilateral temporal lobe (right middle temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus and bilateral parahippocampal gyrus), bilateral parietal lobe (bilateral superior parietal lobe and bilateral precuneus), bilateral occipital lobe (especially bilateral optic tract), bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule, right posterior limb of internal capsule, left capsula externa, right cerebellar hemispheres, cerebellar vermis, right middle cerebellar peduncle, right inferior cerebellar peduncle, genu of corpus callosum and bilateral fornix;2. Patients with chronic SZ group and normal control group brain white matter MD and RD value comparison:We found increased MD and RD in white matter in patients with chronic SZ group, such as bilateral frontal lobe (bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral anterior cingulate), bilateral temporal lobe (right middle temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus and bilateral parahippocampal gyrus), bilateral parietal lobe (bilateral superior parietal lobe and bilateral precuneus), bilateral occipital lobe (especially bilateral optic tract), bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule, bilateral capsula externa, bilateral cerebellar hemispheres, cerebellar vermis, bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle, bilateral inferior cerebellar peduncle, genu body and splenium of the corpus callosum and bilateral fornix;3. Chronic schizophrenia patients of cerebral white matter MD and RD value increased areas is significantly bigger than reduce FA values areas.4. There is no linear correlation between PANSS scores and white matter FA value in chronic schizophrenia patients, and There is also no linear correlation between WCST scores and white matter FA value. [Conclusion]1. Chronic SZ patients have widespread abnormalities in cerebral white matter structure, such as FA value reduction, MD and RD value increation.2. Patients with chronic schizophrenia MD value and RD heighten the FA value to reduce the scope is big, the cause of these differences may be white matter changes in the structure of schizophrenia patients not only changes in the structure of myelin sheath may also exist some structural changes in the other, so through to the MD value and RD testing to reflect the structure of the schizophrenia patients of cerebral white matter changes may be more sensitive.3. PANSS scores and WCST scores do not reflect the extent of the FA value changes of patients with chronic schizophrenia.4. Using magnetic resonance DTI imaging technology can be more effective detection of cerebral white matter changes in the structure, the technology can be widely used and neural research in the field of mental illness.