Objective: This study investigated the effect on brain morphology of an interleukin-1beta genetic polymorphism (C-->T transition at position -511) in patients with schizophrenia.
Method: In vivo magnetic resonance imaging and genotype analysis were used in the examination of 44 male schizophrenic patients and 48 healthy male comparison subjects.
Results: No association between the interleukin-1beta polymorphism and schizophrenia was detected. Within the patient group, bifrontal-temporal gray matter volume deficits and generalized white matter tissue deficits in allele 2 carriers (genotype T/T or C/T) were found. In contrast, the interleukin-1beta polymorphism had no influence on brain morphology within the healthy subjects.
Conclusions: The data suggest that allele 2 within the promoter region of the interleukin-1beta gene at position -511 contributes to structural brain alterations in patients with schizophrenia.