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A diffusion tensor imaging study of fasciculi in schizophrenia
Sukhwinder S Shergill1, Richard A Kanaan, Xavier A Chitnis
1Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, UK. s.shergill@iop.kcl.ac.uk
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|March 3, 2007
Summary
Schizophrenia is linked to reduced white matter integrity in brain tracts connecting key cortical regions. Symptom severity, like auditory hallucinations, may correlate with specific white matter changes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cognitive models suggest schizophrenia symptoms stem from impaired brain region communication.
- Evidence points to functional dysconnectivity, but anatomical basis remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging in schizophrenia patients.
- To examine major white matter tracts connecting frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed on 33 schizophrenia patients and 40 healthy controls.
- Fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured using an automated voxel-based analysis.
Main Results:
- Patients with schizophrenia showed reduced FA in bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculi and the genu of the corpus callosum.
- Increased FA in superior longitudinal fasciculi and anterior cingulum correlated with auditory hallucinations within the patient group.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia is associated with altered white matter integrity in crucial connecting tracts.
- The pattern and severity of white matter changes may relate to specific symptom profiles in schizophrenia.
