Corpus callosum in schizophrenia with deficit and non-deficit syndrome: a statistical shape analysis

The corpus callosum (CC) is the most targeted region in the cerebrum that integrates cognitive data between homologous areas in the right and left hemispheres.

Our study used statistical analysis to determine whether there was a correlation between shape changes in the CC in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) (deficit syndrome (DS) and non-deficit syndrome (NDS)) and healthy control (HC) subjects.

This study consisted of 27 HC subjects and 50 schizophrenic patients (20 with DS and 30 with NDS). 3 patients with DS and 4 patients with NDS were excluded. Three-dimensional, sagittal, T1-spoiled, gradient-echo imaging was used. Standard anatomical landmarks were selected and marked on each image using specific software.

As to comparing the Procrustes mean shapes of the CC, statistically significant differences were observed between HC and SZ (DS+NDS) (p=0.017, James's F_j=73.732), HC and DS (p<0.001, James's F_j=140.843), HC and NDS (p=0.006, James's F_j=89.178) and also DS and NDS (p<0.001, James's F_j=152.967). Shape variability in the form of CC was 0.131, 0.085, 0.082 and 0.086 in the HC, SZ (DS+NDS), DS and NDS groups, respectively.

This study reveals callosal shape variations in patients with SZ and their DS and NDS subgroups that take into account the CC's topographic distribution.