Morfometrie založená na voxelech u postižených a nepostižených potomků rodičů s bipolární afektivní poruchou

Little is known about which of many neuroanatomical abnormalities found in bipolar patients meet criteria for endophenotype. In order to test whether regional brain volumes represent an endophenotype (biological risk factor) for bipolar affective disorder, we performed voxel based morhometry (VBM) both in unaffected and affected (with bipolar or unipolar disorder) offsprings of bipolar patients. We included 20 unaffected, 15 affected offsprings of bipolar parents and 18 healthy controls matched by sex and age. VBM was performed on 1.5T 3D anatomical MRI images using standard methods. We found comparable global and regional brain matter volumes among unaffected as well as affected offsprings of bipolar parents and controls. Global or regional brain volumes did not meet criteria for endophenotype of bipolar disorders.