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Published on: August 12, 2019
Structural and metabolic changes in language areas linked to formal thought disorder
Helge Horn1, Andrea Federspiel, Miranka Wirth
1University Hospital of Psychiatry, Bolligenstrasse 111, CH-3000, Bern 60, Switzerland. horn@puk.unibe.ch
Background:
The role of the language network in the pathophysiology of formal thought disorder has yet to be elucidated.
Aims:
To investigate whether specific grey-matter deficits in schizophrenic formal thought disorder correlate with resting perfusion in the left-sided language network.
Method:
We investigated 13 right-handed patients with schizophrenia and formal thought disorder of varying severity and 13 matched healthy controls, using voxel-based morphometry and magnetic resonance imaging perfusion measurement (arterial spin labelling).
Results:
We found positive correlations between perfusion and the severity of formal thought disorder in the left frontal and left temporoparietal language areas. We also observed bilateral deficits in grey-matter volume, positively correlated with the severity of thought disorder in temporoparietal areas and other brain regions. The results of the voxel-based morphometry and the arterial spin labelling measurements overlapped in the left posterior superior temporal gyrus and left angular gyrus.
Conclusions:
Specific grey-matter deficits may be a risk factor for state-related dysfunctions of the left-sided language system, leading to local hyperperfusion and formal thought disorder.
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