Skewing of the brain midline in schizophrenia

Our laboratory has observed marked craniofacial dysmorphology along the frontonasal-maxillary juncture in schizophrenic probands and their relatives. Embryologic fate-mapping studies relate this craniofacial juncture to the diencephalic-mesencephalic border, and on the basis of this correspondence we have predicted brain midline maldevelopment arising at this border in schizophrenia. Analysis of magnetic resonance images has borne out this prediction, with midline deviation scores in schizophrenia exceeding control values. High deviation scores were also observed among the siblings of these schizophrenic patients. Further, brain and face dysmorphology scores cohered within subjects, supporting this embryologically derived model.