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Cortical abnormalities in schizophrenia identified by structural magnetic resonance imaging
J M Goldstein1, J M Goodman, L J Seidman
1Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Genetics, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Boston 02115, USA. jill_goldstein@hms.harvard.edu
Archives of General Psychiatry
|June 8, 1999
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show significant reductions in brain regions like the middle frontal gyrus and paralimbic areas. These findings highlight the importance of these regions and their connections in brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Limited magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies examine the entire cerebral cortex in schizophrenia.
- Previous research often focuses on specific lobes or areas, not the whole neocortex.
- A novel segmentation method was employed to analyze 48 distinct cortical regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate regional alterations in cortical volumes in patients with schizophrenia.
- To test the hypothesis of volumetric reductions in dorsolateral prefrontal and paralimbic cortices.
Main Methods:
- Systematic sampling of 29 schizophrenia patients and matched healthy controls.
- Screening of controls for psychopathology and matching for demographic and cognitive factors.
- Analysis of covariance to compare regional brain volumes, adjusted for head size.
Main Results:
- Greatest volumetric reductions observed in the middle frontal gyrus and paralimbic regions (frontomedial, frontoorbital, anterior cingulate, insula).
- Significant reductions also found in the supramarginal gyrus, a region connected to prefrontal and cingulate cortices.
- Subtle volumetric increases noted in areas reciprocally connected to reduced paralimbic regions.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the significance of paralimbic areas and their prefrontal connections in schizophrenia.
- Findings provide insights into brain abnormalities in schizophrenia using advanced neuroimaging techniques.