A study in the United Kingdom has shown that brain imaging can help in early diagnosis of Schizophrenia, a development which will not only improve chances of recovery of Schizophrenics but even help in preventing the progress of the disease.
The study by Dr Tonmoy Sharma at the Institute of Psychiatry, which is a part of King's College London, found that substantial brain changes in Schizophrenia are present at the earliest stages of the illness, implying that these changes precede the appearance of psychotic symptoms.
The findings suggest a role for brain imaging in pinpointing warning signs of the illness, and even preventing its development.
Schizophrenia is a group of mental disorders characterised by withdrawal from reality and by alterations in thinking, feeling and concept formations.
Sharma performed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on 68participants, including 37 people experiencing their first episode of psychosis, and a group of healthy volunteers.
MRI scans identified differences in the structure of key regions, such as the temporal lobe, between the healthy volunteers and those experiencing psychosis, according to the study published in the American journal ‘Psychiatry’.
Previous research has also shown that there are differences in the brains of people with Schizophrenia and healthy volunteers. But these studies involved people who have had Schizophrenia for many years making it difficult to identify whether brain changes are due to the aging process, a result of their illness or the side effects of their medication.
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