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Reduced left angular gyrus volume in first-episode schizophrenia
Jay Nierenberg1, Dean F Salisbury, James J Levitt
1Center for Advanced Brain Imaging, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|August 2, 2005
Summary
First-episode schizophrenia patients exhibit reduced left angular gyrus volume, differing from chronic schizophrenia findings. This suggests early-stage angular gyrus abnormalities may underlie schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
Background:
- Previous research indicates altered angular gyrus volume asymmetry in chronic schizophrenia.
- The typical left-greater-than-right asymmetry is often reversed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate angular gyrus volume and asymmetry in first-episode schizophrenia patients.
- To determine if early-stage psychosis involves abnormalities in this brain region.
Main Methods:
- Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on 14 first-episode schizophrenia patients and 14 healthy controls.
- Manually delineated gray matter volumes of the postcentral, supramarginal, and angular gyri.
Main Results:
- Patients with first-episode schizophrenia showed a 14.8% smaller left angular gyrus gray matter volume compared to controls.
- No significant differences in volume or asymmetry were found in other measured regions.
Conclusions:
- First-episode schizophrenia is associated with reduced left angular gyrus volume.
- These findings support parietal lobe abnormalities in schizophrenia and suggest the angular gyrus as a potential neuroanatomical substrate.