Childhood Trauma in Schizophrenia: Exploration of Links Between Gene Expression, Cerebral Morphology and Symptomatology

Summary

Childhood trauma is known as a vulnerability factor in schizophrenia. In healthy volunteers, these adversities are linked to a decrease of grey matter of the brain, similar to those observed in schizophrenia.

In a previous study based on Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM), including 21 schizophrenic patients and 30 healthy volunteers, the investigators shown a negative correlation between emotional neglect (important dimension in childhood trauma) and grey matter decrease. This strong correlation was significantly higher in schizophrenic patients than in healthy volunteers, suggesting a higher genetic predisposition to environmental factors in schizophrenic people.

Currently, interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental stress factors is the major model for understanding in schizophrenia. In order to analyze both effects on human body, particularly on brain, several studies currently focus on the product of genetic expression, the ribonucleic acid (ARN).

The purpose of this study is to provide an explanatory model of links between childhood trauma, candidate gene for schizophrenia expression, cerebral morphology and schizophrenic symptomatology. Using conceptual framework of stress vulnerability, structural equation modeling (SEM) will allow testing causal link between these different variables.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia

Interventions

DEVICE

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

brain imaging : structural anatomy, emotional congruence, anatomic connectivity, functional connectivity

PROCEDURE

Blood sample

27,5 ml of blood sample : genetic analysis and biobank

OTHER

Clinical psychiatric evaluation

Global Assessment Scale(GAS),Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview(MINI),Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale(PANSS),Family Interview for Genetic Studies(FIGS),Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia(CDSS),extrapyramidal side effects evaluation or Simpson-Angus scale evaluation(ESRS),Apathy Evaluation Scale(AES-C),State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI),Beck Depression Inventory(BDI-13),Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised(EPQ-R),Assessment of Schizotypal Personality(SPQ),Emotion Regulation Questionnaire(ERQ),Emotional Reactivity Scale(ERS),Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS-20),social anhedonia scale(SAS),Childhood Trauma Questionnaire(CTQ),Clinical-administered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale(CAPS),Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(WAIS-III),Trail Making Test(TMT),Pen and paper visuospatial working memory(DOT-test),impulsivity test(GoStop),Stroop test,National Adult Reading Test(NART),Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(WAIS-III),Facial Emotion Recognition task(FER)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne

  lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-11-14

Primary Completion

2023-11-30

Completion

2023-11-30

Countries

• France

Study Locations