Hippocampal volume reduction correlates with apathy in traumatic brain injury, but not schizophrenia

Apathy commonly accompanies both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and deficit syndrome schizophrenia (DSZ), despite unclear neurological bases. The authors examined differences in cortical thickness and subcortical/cerebellar regional volumes between adult TBI survivors, patients with DSZ, and healthy-control subjects by use of 3-D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and correlated imaging findings with clinical ratings of apathy and selected cognitive test scores. Imaging findings revealed specific areas of volume reduction in TBI survivors and areas of cortical thinning among patients with DSZ. The severity of apathy symptoms was similar across patient groups; however, severity of apathy was only correlated with imaging findings in TBI survivors.