Do white matter abnormalities increase over the long-term course of schizophrenia, and is their trajectory influenced by antipsychotic treatment? In this cross-sectional study, more alteration of white matter microstructure were found in long-term but never-treated schizophrenia patients than duration-matched chronically treated patients. In the genu of the corpus callosum, there was an accelerated age-related reduction of fiber tract integrity in the never-treated patients. The more attenuated white matter changes in the treated patient group suggests that long-term antipsychotic treatment may have a neuroprotective effect on white matter tracts.
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