Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
09:57
How to Measure Cortical Folding from MR Images: a Step-by-Step Tutorial to Compute Local Gyrification Index
Published on: January 2, 2012
Age-related cortical thinning in schizophrenia
Manabu Kubota1, Jun Miyata, Hidefumi Yoshida
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaharacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. kubotajp@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Schizophrenia Research
|November 2, 2010
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show reduced cortical thickness, particularly in the prefrontal and temporal regions. Aging affects cortical thickness similarly in patients and controls, suggesting reductions are not progressive over the illness course.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
Background:
- The impact of aging on brain structure in schizophrenia remains debated, with conflicting findings on gray matter progression.
- Previous research has not definitively established whether aging influences cortical thickness differently in schizophrenia patients versus healthy individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To confirm reduced cortical thickness in schizophrenia patients.
- To investigate the effects of aging on global and regional cortical thickness in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used on 83 schizophrenia patients and 90 healthy controls.
- Surface-based analysis assessed whole-brain cortical thickness.
- Participants were matched for age, gender, and education.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited global and regional cortical thinning, notably in prefrontal and temporal cortices.
- Age-related changes in cortical thickness followed similar patterns in both patients and controls, globally and regionally.
Conclusions:
- Cortical thinning in schizophrenia may occur early and is not necessarily progressive with age.
- Pathological processes leading to cortical thinning likely happen within a limited timeframe around illness onset.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:17Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those diagnosed.
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
01:30Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...