Bilateral volume reduction of the insular cortex in patients with schizophrenia: a volumetric MRI study

The morphologic changes of the insular cortex have been described in schizophrenia, but with inconsistencies between reports. We investigated the insular cortex volume by magnetic resonance imaging in 59 schizophrenia patients (31 males, 28 females) and 62 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (31 males, 31 females). The insular cortex volume was measured on consecutive coronal 1-mm slices. Volumes of the left and right insular cortex were significantly reduced in schizophrenia patients compared with control subjects. There were no effects of gender on the insular cortex volume in the patient group or control subjects. Bilateral insular cortex volumes were correlated negatively with illness duration in the patient group. The findings of this study suggest that there is a possible progressive loss of the gray matter volume of the bilateral insular cortices subsequent to the onset of schizophrenia.