Cited by 129Schizophrenia research and treatmentGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Heritability of Changes in Brain Volume Over Time in Twin Pairs Discordant for Schizophrenia

Brans, Rachel G. H., van Haren, Neeltje E. M., van Baal, G. Caroline M., Schnack, Hugo G., Kahn, René S., Pol, Hilleke E. Hulshoff·2008·Archives of General Psychiatry

Abstract

CONTEXT: Structural brain abnormalities have consistently been found in schizophrenia, with increased familial risk for the disease associated with these abnormalities. Some brain volume changes are progressive over the course of the illness. Whether these progressive brain volume changes are mediated by genetic or disease-related factors is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether genetic and/or environmental factors are associated with progressive brain volume changes in schizophrenia. DESIGN: Longitudinal 5-year follow-up in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia and healthy comparison twin pairs using brain magnetic resonance imaging. SETTING: Participants were recruited from the twin pair cohort at the University Medical Center Utrecht. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 92 participants completed the study: 9 MZ and 10 DZ twin pairs discordant for schizophrenia and 14 MZ and 13 DZ healthy twin pairs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage volume changes of the whole brain; cerebral gray and white matter of the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes; cerebellum; and lateral and third ventricles over time between and within twin pairs were compared using repeated measures analysis of covariance. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate contributions of additive genetic and common and unique environmental factors. RESULTS: Significant decreases over time in whole brain and frontal and temporal lobe volumes were found in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected co-twins compared with control twins. Bivariate structural equation modeling using cross-trait/cross-twin correlations revealed significant additive genetic influences on the correlations between schizophrenia liability and progressive whole brain (66%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 51%-100%), frontal lobe (76%; 95% CI, 54%-100%), and temporal lobe (79%; CI, 56%-100%) volume change. CONCLUSION: The progressive brain volume loss found in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected co-twins is at least partly attributable to genetic factors related to the illness.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1001/archpsyc.65.11.1259

Cites

66 of 66 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Progressive brain tissue loss in schizophrenia has been associated with genetic factors, disease-related factors, and antipsychotic medication intake.

    “The (progressive) brain tissue loss has been associated with genetic factors and with disease-related factors 11,12 as well as effects of antipsychotic medication intake. 13”
  • Progressive brain changes are present in discordant cotwins of patients with schizophrenia.

    “Interestingly, progressive brain changes are also present in discordant cotwins of patients with schizophrenia, suggesting that these changes are familial, and possibly genetic, and can therefore not solely be explained by antipsychotic medication intake.9”
  • The progressive brain changes in schizophrenia are familial, and possibly genetic, and cannot be solely explained by antipsychotic medication intake.

    “Interestingly, progressive brain changes are also present in discordant cotwins of patients with schizophrenia, suggesting that these changes are familial, and possibly genetic, and can therefore not solely be explained by antipsychotic medication intake.9”

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Brans, R. G. H., van Haren, N. E. M., van Baal, G. C. M., Schnack, H. G., Kahn, R. S., & Pol, H. E. H.
Affiliations
University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Published
2008-11-03
Volume
65
Issue
11
Pages
1259
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2124863104
Cited by
129
References
66
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 18
FWCI
8.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
schizophrenia, brain volume changes, heritability, monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins, discordant twins, gray matter, white matter, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, cerebellum, ventricles, genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, structural brain abnormalities
MeSH terms
Adjustment Disorders, Adult, Brain, Marijuana Abuse, Cerebellum, Cerebral Cortex, Major Depressive Disorder, Diseases in Twins, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Size, Phenotype, Psychotic Disorders, Reference Values, Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Conduct Disorder, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Third Ventricle, Lateral Ventricles

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review