Different gray matter patterns in chronic schizophrenia and chronic bipolar disorder patients identified using...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neuropsychiatry
• Brain Anatomy

Background:

• Gray matter (GM) volume deficits are observed in schizophrenia (Sz) and bipolar disorder (BD).
• Direct whole-brain comparisons of GM volumes between Sz and BD are limited.
• Understanding neuroanatomical differences is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To directly compare whole-brain gray matter (GM) volumes between chronic schizophrenia (Sz) and bipolar disorder (BD) patients.
• To identify specific patterns of GM deficits in Sz and BD compared to healthy controls.
• To elucidate the neuroanatomical overlap and distinctions between Sz and BD.

Main Methods:

• Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was employed.
• Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used for whole-brain analysis.
• 38 Sz patients, 19 BD patients, and 24 healthy controls were included.

Main Results:

• Schizophrenia patients showed widespread cortical and cerebellar GM deficits, along with putamen and thalamus reductions, compared to bipolar disorder patients.
• Both Sz and BD groups exhibited subcortical GM deficits relative to healthy controls.
• Putaminal volume reduction was specific to Sz patients, while BD patients displayed more limited GM deficits.

Conclusions:

• Chronic schizophrenia and chronic bipolar disorder exhibit partly distinct patterns of gray matter deficits.
• Neuroimaging reveals overlapping yet specific regional brain volume differences between Sz and BD.
• These findings contribute to differentiating the neurobiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.