Schizophrenia Imaging

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Schizophrenia is a common disorder with a lifetime prevalence of about 1%.Genetic studies strongly suggest a genetic component to the inheritance of schizophrenia. Structural neuroimaging studies have provided consistent evidence for brain abnormalities in schizophrenia. The timing of brain abnormalities in schizophrenia has not been determined yet. The investigators hypothesize that brain structural changes can be detected in neonatal life. The investigators hypothesize that offspring of schizophrenic patients will have higher rates of brain structural changes in the neonatal period. The investigators propose to study early development of fetuses in offspring of patients with schizophrenia. The study is a multi-center prospective trial.

Official Title
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Prospective Ultrasonographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Assessment of General and Brain Fetal Development in Offspring of Schizophrenic Patients

Conditions
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Foetal Differences Between Healthy and Schizophernic Parents

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: imaging follow up: MRI scan
* Device: imaging follow up: Ultrasonographic examination


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Pregnant women who carry an offspring of a schizophrenia patient: whether the mother, the father or both suffer from schizophrenia. Exclusion Criteria: Alcohol or drug abuse of pregnant woman Past history or present occurrence of major neurologic or somatic illness Genetic disease Other psychiatric disorders other than schizophrenia such as Mental retardation Bipolar Disorder and Delusional Disorder

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Screening
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: healthy parents<br> | Device: imaging follow up: MRI scan<br>* .1 Psychiatric interview. 2. Questionnaires 3. Blood samples for triple test: alfa feto protein, HCG, E3 4. A thorough fetal ultrasound examination including anatomic screening on 23-24 weeks of pregnancy. 5. A detailed trans-vaginal neurosonographic multi-planer examination, on 32-34 weeks of pregnancy 6. Fetal MRI scan on 32-34 weeks of pregnancy, 7. Newborn brain transfontanelar ultrasonography ,within 2 months postpartum 8. Newborn medical examination within 2 months postpartum.<br>* Other names: 2. GE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, ULTRASOUND, GE Medical Systems Kretztechnik GmBH & Co OHG;Device: imaging follow up: Ultrasonographic examination<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: schizophrenic parents<br> | Device: imaging follow up: MRI scan<br>* .1 Psychiatric interview. 2. Questionnaires 3. Blood samples for triple test: alfa feto protein, HCG, E3 4. A thorough fetal ultrasound examination including anatomic screening on 23-24 weeks of pregnancy. 5. A detailed trans-vaginal neurosonographic multi-planer examination, on 32-34 weeks of pregnancy 6. Fetal MRI scan on 32-34 weeks of pregnancy, 7. Newborn brain transfontanelar ultrasonography ,within 2 months postpartum 8. Newborn medical examination within 2 months postpartum.<br>* Other names: 2. GE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, ULTRASOUND, GE Medical Systems Kretztechnik GmBH & Co OHG;Device: imaging follow up: Ultrasonographic examination<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brain morphological changes between groups | Both MRI scans and US scans will be compared between the groups, assessing brain morphological and volumetric differences . | 2 years | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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schizophrenia, imaging