Superior Temporal Gyrus Volume Research Articles

Sexual dimorphism of the planum temporale in schizophrenia: A MRI study.

Anatomical alterations in the superior temporal gyrus have been consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia, and they have mostly been linked to positive symptoms, including hallucinations and thought disorders. The superior temporal gyrus is considered one of the most asymmetric and lateralized structure of the human brain, and the process of lateralization seems to vary according to gender in the normal population. However, although it has been consistently suggested that patients with schizophrenia did not show normal brain lateralization in several regions, only few studies investigated it in the superior temporal gyrus and its sub-regions considering the effects of gender. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate sexual dimorphism in superior temporal gyrus volumes in a sample of patients with schizophrenia compared to age- and gender-matched healthy controls. A total of 72 right/left-handed males (40 schizophrenia patients and 32 healthy controls) and 45 right/left-handed females (18 schizophrenia patients and 27 healthy controls) underwent clinical evaluation and a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging scan. Gray and white matter volumes of regions of interest within the superior temporal gyrus were manually detected, including the Heschl's gyrus and the planum temporale. Female patients with schizophrenia presented a reduction in left planum temporale gray matter volumes ( F = 4.58, p = 0.03) and a lack of the normal planum temporale asymmetry index ( t = 0.27; p = 0.79) compared to female controls ( t = 5.47; p = 0.001). No differences were found between males for any volumes or laterality indices. Finally, in female patients with schizophrenia, Heschl's gyrus gray and white matter volumes negatively correlated with positive symptoms ( r = -0.56, p = 0.01). Our results showed that sexual dimorphism plays a key role on planum temporale in schizophrenia, underlining the importance of gender as a modulator of brain morphology and lateralization of schizophrenia.

Sexual-dimorphism of the planum temporale in schizophrenia: An MRI study

IntroductionAnatomical alterations in the Superior Temporal Gyrus (STG) have been reported in schizophrenia. The STG is one of the most asymmetric and lateralized structure of the brain, and the process of lateralization seems to vary according to gender. Although it has been suggested that patients with schizophrenia do not show normal brain lateralization, only few studies investigated it in the STG considering the effects of sex.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to evaluate sexual dimorphism in STG volumes in a sample of patients with schizophrenia compared to age-and sex-matched healthy controls.MethodsSeventy-two right-hander males (40 schizophrenia patients and 32 controls) and 45 right-hander females (18 schizophrenia patients and 27 controls) underwent clinical evaluation and a 1.5 T MRI scan. Gray and white matter volumes of regions of interests within the STG were detected, including the Heschl's Gyrus (HG) and the planum temporale (PT).ResultsFemale patients with schizophrenia presented a reduction in left PT gray matter volumes (F = 4.58, P = 0.03) and a lack of the normal PT asymmetry index (t = 0.27; P = 0.79) compared to female controls (t = 5.47; P < 0.001). No differences were found between males for volumes or laterality. Also, in patients with schizophrenia STG gray and white volumes negatively correlated with positive symptoms (r = −0.33, P = 0.02 and r = −0.29, P = 0.03 respectively), whereas left PT gray matter volumes were negatively associated to duration of illness (r = −0.27, P = 0.04).ConclusionsSexual dimorphism plays a key role on PT in schizophrenia, underlying the importance of gender as a modulator of brain morphology and lateralization of schizophrenia.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Reduced gray matter volume of left superior temporal gyrus in schizophrenia with auditory verbal hallucinations: a voxel-based morphometry study

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) which are the core psychopathology symptoms in schizophrenia patients cause amounts of distress, functional disability and behavioral dys-control. However, the neural mechanism with the onset of AVHs in schizophrenia remains unclear. In the present study, we recruited 30 schizophrenia patients with AVHs, 20 schizophrenia patients with non-AVHs (nAVHs), and 50 healthy controls. Structure magnetic resonance imaging was obtained, and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyse the gray matter volume (GMV) in the three groups. We found that the GMV of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) significantly decreased in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. In addition, the left STG with significantly decreased volume was found in nAVHs compared to AVHs, but no significant changes of GMV in ACC and left MTG were found between AVHs and nAVHs. Our current study identified the abnormal GMV of the left STG in schizophrenia patients with AVHs. Our findings further supported the view that, whilst mild reduced GMV of the left STG might still enable the emergence of AVHs, more severe alterations may prevent the occurrence of AVHs experience.

Unipolar and Bipolar Depression Manifest Different Brain Abnormalities:a voxel-based morphometry study

Background:Patients with bipolar depression is often misdiagnosed to be as unipolar depression due to the phenotype similarity of these two diseases. We hypothesize that patients with these two diseases may demonstrate difference in terms of gray matter volume. Methods:Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 64 subjects, including 17 unipolar depression patients, 19 bipolar depression patients and 28 healthy controls. Image preprocess were conducted using Voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Then the gray matter volume changes were compared among different groups. Results: Compared to healthy controls, both Unipolar and bipolar patients demonstrated significantly decreased gray matter volume in the right anterior cerebellum lobe. Moreover, we observed significant right superior temporal gyrus volume decrease in unipolar patients compared to both healthy controls and bipolar subjects. Conclusion: Our results indicated that volume changes in anterior cerebellum lobe could be used for the diagnosis of both unipolar and bipolar depressions. Additionally, the right superior temporal gyrus volume variations may differ in unipolar and bipolar patients and thereby could be used as a marker for differentiating these two diseases

Structural alterations of the superior temporal gyrus in schizophrenia: Detailed subregional differences

BackgroundReduced gray matter volumes in the superior temporal gyrus (STG) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. Such volumetric abnormalities might denote alterations in cortical thickness, surface area, local gyrification or all of these factors. The STG can be anatomically divided into five subregions using automatic parcellation in FreeSurfer: lateral aspect of the STG, anterior transverse temporal gyrus of Heschl gyrus (HG), planum polare (PP) of the STG, planum temporale (PT) of the STG and transverse temporal sulcus. MethodsWe acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 3T scans from 40 age- and sex-matched patients with schizophrenia and 40 healthy subjects, and the scans were automatically processed using FreeSurfer. General linear models were used to assess group differences in regional volumes and detailed thickness, surface area and local gyrification. ResultsAs expected, patients with schizophrenia had significantly smaller bilateral STG volumes than healthy subjects. Of the five subregions in the STG, patients with schizophrenia showed significantly and marginally reduced volumes in the lateral aspect of the STG and PT of the STG bilaterally compared with healthy subjects. The volumetric alteration in bilateral lateral STG was derived from both the cortical thickness and surface area but not local gyrification. There was no significant laterality of the alteration in the lateral STG between patients and controls and no correlation among the structures and clinical characteristics. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that of five anatomical subregions in the STG, the lateral STG is one of the most meaningful regions for brain pathophysiology in schizophrenia.

Dysfunctional resting-state connectivities of brain regions with structural deficits in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia adolescents

ObjectiveIndividuals with adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) are a subgroup of patients who present clinical symptoms between 13 and 18years of age. Little is known about neurodevelopmental abnormalities in this patient population. The present study was to examine possible resting-state dysfunctional connectivity of brain regions with altered gray matter volume in AOS. MethodsGray matter volume was investigated by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis was used to examine the correlations between regions with structural deficits and the remaining regions. ResultsThirty-seven first-episode schizophrenia adolescents and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Compared to the controls, the patients showed significantly decreased gray matter volumes in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG) (ps<0.05). With the right STG as seed, significantly reduced connectivities were found within the frontal–temporal networks in the patient group (ps<0.05). With the right MTG as seed, the patient group showed significantly reduced connectivities in the default-mode networks and visual networks (ps<0.05). Compared to significant correlations in the controls (p=0.02), the patients had no observed correlations between functional connectivity of the right STG and gray matter volume of this region. Significant positive correlations were found between functional connectivity of the right STG with the left middle frontal gyrus and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores (p=0.048) after controlling the confounding variables. ConclusionsThese findings show dysfunctional resting-state connectivities of the right STG and MTG with decreased gray matter volume in adolescents with AOS, suggesting that neurodevelopmental abnormalities may be present in AOS.

Right superior temporal gyrus volume in adolescents with a history of suicide attempt.

The extent to which observed differences in emotion processing and regulation neural circuitry in adolescents with a history of suicide attempt are paralleled by structural differences is unknown. We measured brain cortical thickness and grey- and white-matter volumes in 100 adolescents: 28 with a history of suicide attempt and major depressive disorder (MDD); 31 with a history of MDD but no suicide attempt; and a healthy control group (n = 41). The first group compared with controls showed reduction in grey-matter volume in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA38), a region important for social emotion processing.

Clinical correlates of superior temporal gyrus volume abnormalities in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia.

In this study, the authors report superior temporal gyrus (STG) and Heschl's gyrus (HG) volume deficits in a large sample of medication-naïve patients with schizophrenia (N=55) in comparison with healthy control subjects (N=45) with structural MRI using voxel-based morphometry. Patients had significantly smaller volumes of left HG [X=-41, Y=-22, Z=11; Brodmann's area (BA)-41), right HG (X=47, Y=-18, Z=11; BA-41), and left STG (X=-50, Y=-34, Z=11; BA-42] compared with healthy control subjects. In addition, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive score had a significant negative correlation with left HG. Findings observed in a large sample of antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia emphasize the role of HG and STG in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Cerebral anatomical changes in female asthma patients with and without depression compared to healthy controls and patients with depression

Background: Population-based studies have demonstrated that asthma patients with depression symptoms are more likely to have poor asthma control and worse asthma outcomes. However, the underlying mechanism of the relationship between asthma and depression is still unclear. The present study aimed to examine the cerebral anatomical changes in female asthma patients with and without depression. Methods: Using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a voxel-based morphometry technique, the primary effects of and the interaction between asthma and depression were analyzed. The cerebral gray matter volume (GMV) was compared between the groups. Correlation analyses between the GMV value of the brain regions and the clinical parameters were completed. Results: The interaction effect of asthma and depression was found on the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the left middle temporal gyrus. Patients with both asthma and depression showed less GMV in the right STG, the bilateral precuneus, and the right superior frontal gyrus compared to patients with asthma only. The GMV of the right STG showed a decrement form among the asthma only group, healthy controls and asthma plus depression group. In patients with asthma and depression, the volume of the right STG was positively correlated with PD20 (r = 0.714, p = 0.047) and negatively correlated with the nocturnal awakening score in the Asthma Control Test (r = −0.061, p = 0.038). Conclusion: Current findings provided convergent evidence to support the critical role of the right STG in the brain mechanism that mediates asthma and depression.

Voxel-based gray and white matter morphometry correlates of hallucinations in schizophrenia: The superior temporal gyrus does not stand alone.

IntroductionAuditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in schizophrenia (SZ) have been proposed to result from abnormal local, interregional and interhemispheric integration of brain signals in regions involved in language production and perception. This abnormal functional integration may find its base in morphological abnormalities. Structurally, AVHs have been frequently linked to abnormal morphology of the superior temporal gyrus (STG), but only a few studies investigated the relation of hallucination presence with both whole-brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) morphometry.MethodsUsing a unified voxel-based morphometry–DARTEL approach, we investigated correlates of AVH presence in 51 schizophrenia patients (20 non-hallucinating [SZ −], 31 hallucinating [SZ +]), and included 51 age and sex matched healthy participants. Effects are reported at p < .05 FWE corrected.ResultsPatients showed lower GM volume of the left STG than controls, irrespective of AVH presence. In addition, SZ + showed lower GM volume of the left inferior frontal and right parahippocampal gyrus, and higher WM volume of the left postcentral and superior parietal lobule than controls. Finally, volume of the putamen was lower in SZ + compared to SZ −. No effects on corpus callosum morphometry were observed. Delusion severity, general positive and negative symptomatology illness duration, and medication status could not explain the results.DiscussionResults suggest that STG GM abnormalities underlie the general susceptibility to experience psychotic symptoms and that additional abnormalities in a network of medial temporal, ventrolateral, putaminal, and parietal regions related to verbal memory and speech production may specifically increase the likelihood of experiencing AVH. Future studies should clarify the meaning of morphometry abnormalities for functional interregional communication.

Is Neuregulin 1 Involved in Determining Cerebral Volumes in Schizophrenia? Preliminary Results Showing a Decrease in Superior Temporal Gyrus Volume

Background/Aims: Reduced left superior temporal gyrus (STG) volume is one of the most replicated imaging findings in schizophrenia. However, it remains unclear whether genes play any role in our understanding of such structural alteration. It has been proposed that Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) might be a promising gene involved in schizophrenia, because of its role in neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. In this study, the association between NRG1 and STG anatomy in patients with schizophrenia was explored for the first time. Methods: We investigated a 1-year treated prevalence cohort of patients with schizophrenia in contact with the South Verona Community-Based Mental Health Service. A blood sample was collected for DNA extraction and brain structure was assessed with an MRI scan. A total of 27 subjects with schizophrenia underwent both assessments and were included in the study. Results: We investigated the association between the polymorphism SNP8NRG222662 (rs4623364) of NRG1 and volume of the STG. We found that patients homozygous for the C allele had reduced left STG gray and white matter volumes in comparison to those homozygous for the G allele (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that NRG1 may be involved in determining STG size in schizophrenia, and may play a role in the neurogenetic basis of the language disturbances seen in this disorder. However, due to our small sample size, the results should be regarded as preliminary and replicated in a larger sample.

Spatiotemporal signatures of an abnormal auditory system in stuttering

People who stutter (PWS) can reduce their stuttering rates under masking noise and altered auditory feedback; such a response can be attributed to altered auditory input, which suggests that abnormal speech processing in PWS results from abnormal processing of auditory input. However, the details of this abnormal processing of basic auditory information remain unclear. In order to characterize such abnormalities, we examined the functional and structural changes in the auditory cortices of PWS by using a 306-channel magnetoencephalography system to assess auditory sensory gating (P50m suppression) and tonotopic organization. Additionally, we employed voxel-based morphometry to compare cortical gray matter (GM) volumes on structural MR images. PWS exhibited impaired left auditory sensory gating. The tonotopic organization in the right hemisphere of PWS is expanded compared with that of the controls. Furthermore, PWS showed a significant increase in the GM volume of the right superior temporal gyrus, consistent with the right tonotopic expansion. Accordingly, we suggest that PWS have impaired left auditory sensory gating during basic auditory input processing and that some error signals in the auditory cortex could result in abnormal speech processing. Functional and structural reorganization of the right auditory cortex appears to be a compensatory mechanism for impaired left auditory cortex function in PWS.

Superior temporal gyrus volume in antipsychotic-naive people at risk of psychosis

Superior temporal gyrus volume in antipsychotic-naive people at risk of psychosis

Enlarged right superior temporal gyrus in children and adolescents with autism

The superior temporal gyrus has been implicated in language processing and social perception. Therefore, anatomical abnormalities of this structure may underlie some of the deficits observed in autism, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication. In this study, volumes of the left and right superior temporal gyri were measured using magnetic resonance imaging obtained from 18 boys with high-functioning autism (mean age = 13.5 ± 3.4 years; full-scale IQ = 103.6 ± 13.4) and 19 healthy controls (mean age = 13.7 ± 3.0 years; full-scale IQ = 103.9 ± 10.5), group-matched on age, gender, and handedness. When compared to the control group, right superior temporal gyral volumes was significantly increased in the autism group after controlling for age and total brain volume. There was no significant difference in the volume of the left superior temporal gyrus. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant increase of the right posterior superior temporal gyral volume in the autism group, before and after controlling for age and total brain volume. Examination of the symmetry index for the superior temporal gyral volumes did not yield statistically significant between-group differences. Findings from this preliminary investigation suggest the existence of volumetric alterations in the right superior temporal gyrus in children and adolescents with autism, providing support for a neuroanatomical basis of the social perceptual deficits characterizing this severe neurodevelopmental disorder.

Superior temporal gyrus volume in teenagers with first-presentation borderline personality disorder

This magnetic resonance imaging study investigated the superior temporal gyrus (STG) subregion volumes in 20 teenagers with first-presentation borderline personality disorder (BPD) and 20 healthy controls. While the STG volume early in the course of BPD did not differ from that of healthy controls, the BPD participants with violent episodes had a smaller left caudal STG volume compared with those without such episodes during the previous 6 months. Our preliminary findings might reflect the neurobiological heterogeneity of the disorder.

Superior temporal gyrus volume in antipsychotic-naive people at risk of psychosis

Morphological abnormalities of the superior temporal gyrus have been consistently reported in schizophrenia, but the timing of their occurrence remains unclear. To determine whether individuals exhibit superior temporal gyral changes before the onset of psychosis. We used magnetic resonance imaging to examine grey matter volumes of the superior temporal gyrus and its subregions (planum polare, Heschl's gyrus, planum temporale, and rostral and caudal regions) in 97 antipsychotic-naive individuals at ultra-high risk of psychosis, of whom 31 subsequently developed psychosis and 66 did not, and 42 controls. Those at risk of psychosis had significantly smaller superior temporal gyri at baseline compared with controls bilaterally, without any prominent subregional effect; however, there was no difference between those who did and did not subsequently develop psychosis. Our findings indicate that grey matter reductions of the superior temporal gyrus are present before psychosis onset, and are not due to medication, but these baseline changes are not predictive of transition to psychosis.

Neuroanatomical correlates of psychopathology in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia.

Background:Previous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies using manual techniques reporting significant relationship between psychopathology and gray matter volume in schizophrenia are limited by various confounding factors. None used automated image analysis to examine gray matter volume correlates of psychopathology in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients.Aim:This study aimed at examining the relationship between psychopathology and gray matter volume abnormalities in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients.Patients and Methods:MRI of 30 antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia (DSM-IV) patients and 27 age-, sex- education- and handedness-matched healthy controls were compared for gray matter volume differences using Optimized Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM)-an automated, rapid and unbiased technique. Psychopathology was measured using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) with good inter-rater reliability. The correlations between PANSS scores and gray matter volume were examined using VBM.Results:Schizophrenia patients had significant gray matter volume deficits in frontal, cingulate, temporal, insula and precuneus cortices; thalamus, caudate and cerebellum. Positive syndrome score had significant negative correlation with left superior temporal gyrus volume. Negative syndrome score had significant inverse correlation with frontal, cingulate and cerebellar gray matter volumes.Conclusions:Cortical and cerebellar gray matter volume deficits and their significant negative correlations with psychopathology scores are supportive of ‘Cognitive Dysmetria’ in schizophrenia.

An MRI study of the superior temporal subregions in patients with current and past major depression

The superior temporal gyrus (STG), especially its lateral portion, and temporal pole (TP) both play a central role in emotional processing, but it remains largely unknown whether patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibit morphologic changes in these regions. We delineated the STG subregions [planum polare (PP), Heschl gyrus (HG), planum temporale (PT), rostral STG, and caudal STG] and TP using magnetic resonance imaging in 29 currently depressed patients (mean age=32.5 years, 7 males), 27 remitted depressed patients (mean age=35.1 years, 9 males), and 33 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects (mean age=34.0 years, 12 males). Both current and remitted MDD patients showed a significant volume reduction of the left PT and bilateral caudal STG as compared with healthy controls. The TP volume did not differ between the groups. The right PT volume was negatively correlated with total score on the Beck Depression Inventory in the MDD patients as a whole. Medication, presence of melancholia, and comorbidity with anxiety disorders did not affect the TP and STG volumes. These findings suggest that the volume reduction of the STG, but not the TP, may represent enduring brain changes in MDD even after recovery from depression, but right STG volume may also be related to the severity of depressive symptoms.

Gray matter reduction of the superior temporal gyrus in patients with established bipolar I disorder

BackgroundFunctional abnormalities of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of this region have yielded inconsistent findings. MethodWe used MRI to examine the volumes of the STG and its gray matter subregions [planum polare (PP), Heschl gyrus (HG), planum temporale (PT), and lateral STG (rostral and caudal regions)] in 26 patients with established bipolar I disorder (8 males and 18 females, mean age=38.4years) and 24 age and gender-matched healthy controls (7 males and 17 females, mean age=38.7years). ResultsBipolar patients had significantly smaller volumes of the PT and caudal STG compared with controls in the left hemisphere. The STG white matter volume did not differ between the groups. There was no association between the STG volume and number of manic/depressive episodes, family history, or clinical subtype (i.e., psychotic and nonpsychotic), but daily dosage of lithium treatment at the time of scanning was positively correlated with right PP and right rostral STG volumes. LimitationsEntire clinical data (e.g., lifetime medication, symptomatology) were not available. ConclusionsThese findings implicate a role for the STG gray matter, especially its left posterior regions, in the neurobiology of bipolar disorder. Our findings may also support the notion of lithium-induced gray matter expansion.

Structural magnetic resonance imaging predictors of responsiveness to cognitive behaviour therapy in psychosis

BackgroundResponsiveness to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in psychosis may have a neurological basis. This study aimed to determine whether improvement in symptoms following CBT for psychosis (CBTp) in people with schizophrenia is positively associated with pre-therapy grey matter volume in brain regions involved in cognitive processing. MethodsSixty outpatients stable on medication with at least one distressing symptom of schizophrenia and willing to receive CBTp in addition to their standard care (SC), and 25 healthy participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequently, 30 patients received CBTp (CBTp+SC; 25 completers) for 6–8months and 30 continued with their standard care (SC; 19 completers). Symptoms in all patients were assessed (blindly) at entry and follow-up. ResultsThe CBTp+SC and SC groups did not differ clinically at baseline, and only the CBTp+SC group showed improved symptoms at follow-up. Severity of baseline symptoms was not associated with CBTp responsiveness. Reduction with CBTp in positive symptoms was associated with greater right cerebellum (lobule VII) grey matter volume, in negative symptoms with left precentral gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule grey matter volumes, and in general psychopathology with greater right superior temporal gyrus, cuneus and cerebellum (Crus I) grey matter volumes. Grey matter volume in these brain areas did not correlate with the severity of baseline symptoms. ConclusionGrey matter volume of the frontal, temporal, parietal and cerebellar areas that are known to be involved in the co-ordination of mental activity, cognitive flexibility, and verbal learning and memory predict responsiveness to CBTp in patients with psychosis.