Corpus callosum agenesis and psychosis in Andermann syndrome
M. J. Filteau, E. Pourcher, R. H. Bouchard, P. Baruch, J. Mathieu, F. Bedard, N. Simard and P. Vincent
Unite de Neuropsychopharmacologie, Hopital de l'Enfant-Jesus, Quebec, Canada.
Recent illustrations by cerebral magnetic resonance imaging of anomalies of
the corpus callosum in schizophrenics have kindled renewed interest in this
association. We studied 62 patients affected by the Andermann syndrome, a
polymalformative familial syndrome combining frequent congenital corpus
callosum agenesis, mental retardation, psychotic episodes, peripheral
neuropathy, and some dysmorphic features. Twenty of 62 patients presenting
with psychosis were compared with 20 nonpsychotic patients matched
according to sex and age. The psychotic patients presented an atypical
psychosis as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Third Edition, beginning in postadolescence. No significant
relationship was observed between corpus callosum agenesis and psychosis.
However, a significant association between posterior fossa atrophy and
psychosis was established in our study. Although there are limitations in
using cross-sectional data for this purpose, the findings suggest an
association between cerebellar anomalies and schizophrenialike syndrome and
rule out an implication of developmental callosal defects in such
psychiatric disorders.
