Morphology of the corpus callosum and schizophrenia: A case-control study in Kashan, Iran

Corpus Callosum (CC) plays a significant role in hemispheric communication and in lateralized brain function and behaviors. Structural abnormalities in the corpus callosum of schizophrenic patients were reported. However, previous studies regarding the relationship between morphology of CC in patients with schizophrenia and healthy people are controversial.

To evaluate the morphological differences of the CC between patients with chronic schizophrenia and healthy people and to examine the relationship between the characteristics of the CC and schizophrenia severity.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 63 patients with chronic schizophrenia (the case group) referred to Kargarnezhad Psychiatric Hospital in Kashan, Iran, and 63 healthy people (the control group) between January 2013 and December 2014. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Shape, anteroposterior length, and area of the CC were measured and compared in both groups. The severity of the symptoms occurring in patients with schizophrenia was evaluated using the positive and negative syndrome scale. In this study, we employed Chi-square test, t-test, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient test, bivariate analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to test the association between different variables using SPSS software version 20.

Results showed that the most common shape of the CC in each group was splenial bulbosity. The length and area of the CC in patients with schizophrenia were less than those of the control group and were greater in men compared with women in both groups. Although there was a significant difference in the surface area of the CC between the schizophrenic and control groups (p<0.001), no significant difference was seen regarding the anteroposterior length of CC (p=0.75). Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the surface area and anteroposterior length of the CC (p<0.001 and p<0.014, respectively).

Morphologic characteristics of the CC can be helpful to anticipate schizophrenia especially in patients' family, and it can be used for suitable and faster treatment to prevent progressive cognitive dysfunction.