Abstract
Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have reported various subtle brain abnormalities in schizophrenic patients, including temporal lobe abnormalities, which are of particular interest given the role of this brain region in auditory and language processing, and the characteristic deficits in these processes in schizophrenia . Subjects in this study were 16 male patients diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia and 15 healthy male comparison subjects. These patients were characterized by negative symptoms. High spatial resolution coronal MRI 1.5-mm-thick slices were used to measure the gray matter volume of the superior temporal gyrus, anterior and posterior amygdala/hippocampal complex, and parahippocampal gyrus. Patients, relative to normal comparison subjects, evinced a reduction of gray matter volume in bilateral superior temporal gyri and anterior amygdala/hippocampal complex. The reduction in gray matter of the superior temporal gyrus in patients with schizophrenia is consistent with previous findings, and is noteworthy in that it was found in this group of patients with predominantly negative symptoms. The reduction in the anterior amygdala/hippocampal complex was an additional temporal lobe finding. These results underscore the role of temporal lobe structures in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Highlights
The temporal lobe has figured prominently in studies of schizophrenia, which is not surprising given the importance of this brain region for auditory and language processing — two processes that are notably abnormal in schizophrenia
The repeated measures ANOVA of normalized ROI values (Z-scores) with ROI (STG, anterior amygdala/hippocampal complex, posterior amygdala/hippocampal complex, and parahippocampal gyrus) and side as within subjects variables and group as a between subjects variable revealed a trend for an interaction of ROI and group [F(3,87) = 2.348, p < 0.087)
Significant differences were found for the STG [F(1,29) = 5.384, p < 0.028; an 8% difference] and anterior amygdala/hippocampal complex [F(1,29) = 4.857, p < 0.036; a 13% difference], but not for the posterior amygdala/hippocampal complex or parahippocampal gyrus
Summary
The temporal lobe has figured prominently in studies of schizophrenia, which is not surprising given the importance of this brain region for auditory and language processing — two processes that are notably abnormal in schizophrenia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have consistently reported temporal lobe abnormalities in schizophrenia (e.g., Johnstone et al, 1989; Bogerts et al, 1990; Becker et al, 1996; see reviews by Shenton et al, 1997, 2001a,b; Pearlson, 1997; McCarley et al, 1999). Reductions of the amygdala/hippocampal complex have been widely reported (e.g., DeLisi et al, 1988; Barta et al, 1990; Bogerts et al, 1990; Breier et al, 1992; Shenton et al, 1992), but there have been some negative findings in this region (e.g., Zipursky et al, 1994; Sanfilipo et al, 2000; Staal et al, 2000). Reductions of the parahippocampal gyrus have been reported by some researchers (e.g., Shenton et al, 1992; Kawasaki et al, 1993) but not by others (e.g., Sanfilipo et al, 2000)
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