Very early onset and greater vulnerability in schizophrenia: A clinical and neuroimaging study

Case report

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Authors: Francesco Margari, Anna Presicci, Maria Giuseppina Petruzzelli, Patrizia Ventura, Franca Di Cuonzo, et al

Published Date September 2008 Volume 2008:4(4) Pages 825 - 830

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S2484

Francesco Margari¹, Anna Presicci², Maria Giuseppina Petruzzelli¹, Patrizia Ventura², Franca Di Cuonzo³, Michele Palma³, Lucia Margari²

¹Department of Neurologic and Psychiatry Sciences, Psychiatry Unit; ²Department of Neurologic and Psychiatry Sciences, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit; ³Department of Neurologic and Psychiatry Sciences, Neuroradiologic Unit, University of Bari, Italy

Abstract: Although schizophrenia has been diagnosed in children, this group of disorders has received too little attention in the clinical and research literature. Preliminary data suggest that early onset schizophrenia (EOS) and very early onset schizophrenia (VEOS) tend to have a worse outcome than adult onset schizophrenia, and seem to be related to a greater familial vulnerability, due to genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Recently, advanced neuroimaging techniques have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities in some cerebral areas. This paper reports on a case diagnosed as VEOS, with premorbid year-long psychopathological history. The patient showed atypical proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings, and normal brain and spine computer tomography and brain magnetic resonance images.

Keywords: very early onset schizophrenia, early onset schizophrenia, premorbid neurodevelopmental abnormalities, magnetic resonance spectroscopy

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