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Morphology of Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Its Relation to Schizophrenia

Anastasiya Lahutsina1, Filip Spaniel2, Jana Mrzilkova1

  • 1Department of Anatomy, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 100 00 Prague, Czech Republic.

Journal of Clinical Medicine
|January 8, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Schizophrenia patients show distinct anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) folding patterns, specifically in the cingulate (CS) and paracingulate (PCS) sulci. These unique morphotypes may indicate a higher probability of developing schizophrenia.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Cortical folding of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), specifically the cingulate sulcus (CS) and paracingulate sulcus (PCS), serves as a neurodevelopmental marker.
  • Alterations in prenatal development associated with schizophrenia can be identified through CS and PCS morphometry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in CS and PCS morphometry between first-episode schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
  • To compare the length, frequency, and asymmetry of CS/PCS between the two groups.

Main Methods:

  • T1-weighted MRI scans were used to measure CS and PCS lengths in 93 schizophrenia patients and 42 healthy controls.
  • Morphological patterns (morphotypes) of CS and PCS were analyzed and compared between groups.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in CS and PCS morphotype distribution were observed between patients and controls.
  • Specific sulcal patterns, such as CS3a in the left hemisphere and non-parcellated PCS in the right hemisphere, were significantly longer in schizophrenia patients.
  • The concurrent presence of PCS1 and CS1 in the left hemisphere was associated with a higher probability of schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

  • CS and PCS morphometry reveals distinct patterns in first-episode schizophrenia.
  • Specific sulcal morphotypes, particularly PCS1 and CS1, may serve as potential neuroimaging markers for schizophrenia risk.

Keywords:
MRIanatomycingulate and paracingulate sulcimorphologyschizophrenia

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