Brain structural changes and antipsychotics

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggest a life-long impact of disease related mechanisms on brain structure in schizophrenia which may be modified by antipsychotic treatment. In particular, in a large study we showed that cumulative exposure to antipsychotics correlated positively with gray matter volumes in the cingulate gyrus for typical agents and in the thalamus for atypical drugs in schizophrenia. This suggests, along with findings from other studies, that antipsychotic medication has a significant impact on brain morphology. In this presentation we will debate the effects of antipsychotic administration on the brain anatomy of patients suffering from schizophrenia as mainly detected by structural imaging studies; the perspectives in this field of research will also be drawn.