[Changes in brain structure caused by neuroleptic medication]

Nervenarzt. 2004 Nov;75(11):1112-7. doi: 10.1007/s00115-004-1793-5.
[Article in German]

Abstract

A couple of studies showed that neuroleptic treatment affects brain morphology. This paper reviews findings of volumetric longitudinal studies on treated schizophrenics, longitudinal studies considering the effect of different neuroleptic treatments on brain morphology, and studies on neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia. The latter studies show enlargement of ventricles, diminished volume of the thalamus and reduced gray matter in different cortical regions. Findings on the nucleus caudatus, hippocampus, and amygdala are inconsistent. The volumes of the putamen and globus pallidus are unchanged. Medication with typical antipsychotics leads to increased volume of the nucleus caudatus while atypical antipsychotics do not change the volume of the nucleus caudatus.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Basal Ganglia / drug effects*
  • Basal Ganglia / pathology
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Cerebral Ventricles / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Ventricles / pathology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neurologic Examination / drug effects
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy*
  • Schizophrenia / pathology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents