Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

White matter abnormalities and Virchow Robin spaces in patients with psychotic disorders

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2014; 24: Supplement S142-S142
Read: 594 Published: 18 February 2021

White matter abnormalities (WMA), also known as subcortical hyperintense lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may be seen in a variety of pathologic processes including genetic, vascular, toxic, metabolic, infectious, inşammatory, and traumatic diseases. Cerebral WMA comprised of periventricular and deep subcortical alterations have been reported in psychiatric populations such as patients with affective disorders, Obsessive compulsive disorders, and psychotic disorders. These white matter changes may reşect tract abnormalities contributing to the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of mental disorders. The Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS) are perivascular spaces surrounding the subcortical small cerebral blood vessels. VRS are normally very small, microscopic, but when dilated, they can be well visualized with MRI. The patient sample comprised 24 patients with psychotic disorders who had white matter abnormalities on MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed periventricular white matter changes in twelve patients (50,0%), frontal lesions in six patients (25,0%), parietal lesions in six patients (25,0%), temporal lesions in one patients (4,2%), infratentorial lesions in two patients (8,3%), and Virchow Robin spaces in eight patients (33,3%). This study suggested that there was a relationship between white matter abnormalities and psychotic disorders.

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