Two Patterns of White Matter Abnormalities in Medication-Naive Patients With First-Episode Schizophrenia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Cluster Analysis

Abstract

Two distinct patterns of white matter abnormalities exist at the early phase of schizophrenia, with those having global abnormalities experiencing more severe negative symptoms. The finding that distinct subgroups of patients with schizophrenia have different forms of white matter pathology may reflect qualitatively distinct genetic influences or neurodevelopmental alterations and thus represents a promising strategy for resolving neurobiological heterogeneity in the schizophrenia syndrome.