FIGURE 14.4 Brain Tissue Loss in Adolescent Schizophrenia MRI scans of normal adolescent brains show some tissue loss due to “pruning” (top). Scans of adolescents recently diagnosed with schizophrenia reveal loss in the parietal areas (middle); individuals at this stage may experience symptoms such as hallucinations or bizarre thoughts. Scans 5 years later reveal extensive tissue loss over much of the cortex (bottom); individuals at this stage are likely to suffer from delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, and negative symptoms such as social withdrawal (Thompson et al., 2001).

Thompson et al. (2001), National Academy of Sciences, USA