Mapping adolescent brain change reveals dynamic wave of accelerated gray matter loss in very early-onset schizophrenia

Table 1

Clinical severity of the schizophrenic and medication-controlled groups

		Schizophrenics (COS)	Medication/IQ controls (psychosis NOS)
SAPS	Baseline	58.3 ± 5.3	18.4 ± 5.1
	Follow-up	18.2 ± 4.3	20.2 ± 5.4
SANS	Baseline	73.8 ± 4.7	19.3 ± 3.9
	Follow-up	49.8 ± 8.5	28.4 ± 5.8
CGAS	Baseline	37.4 ± 5.7	43.0 ± 6.5
	Follow-up	30.8 ± 3.4	41.9 ± 3.8

SANS and SAPS tests (22) of positive and negative symptom severity (as well as the Children's Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, CGAS) (58) were administered both at baseline and every 2.3 years at follow-up. Mean scores and standard errors are given for both groups, at study entry and at the follow-up 4.6 years later. SAPS and SANS scores improved in the COS group (P < 3 × 10⁻⁶ and P < 0.005, respectively), partly as a result of neuroleptic treatment. However, the COS group's positive and negative symptoms were initially much more severe than the medication/IQ controls (P < 2 × 10⁻⁵ and P < 10⁻⁷ for SAPS and SANS, respectively), and they were more impaired in global functioning at follow-up (group difference: P < 0.05).