Magnetic Resonance Brain Images in Schizophrenic and Normal Subjects: Influence of Diagnosis and Education

Abstract

Evidence from computerized tomography (CT) suggests that schizophrenic patients may have smaller brains than normal subjects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produces more clearly defined images than CT, was used to measure T1 and brain size of 24 schizophrenic and 24 normal subjects matched for age and sex but not for education. Two transverse images were obtained: slice 1 at the foramina of Monro and slice 2 at the widest part of the lateral ventricles. Adequate T1 instrumental reliability could not be demonstrated. Schizophrenic subjects had smaller right hemispheres (slice 1) and smaller frontal areas (slice 2) than normal subjects. However, when education was taken into account, only the left frontal area (slice 2) was smaller in schizophrenic than in normal subjects. Larger brain areas were associated with better cognitive test scores and fewer neurological signs. Cranial and body size were similar in both diagnostic groups.

Increased head circumference in schizophrenia

“…Results were similar using two different control groups, and distributions appeared unimodal. These results are consistent with previous reports suggesting cranial size is increased (Weinberger et al 1987) or at least is not decreased in schizophrenia (Andreasen et al 1990;Breier et al 1992;DeMyer et al 1988;Jernigan et al 1991;Mathew et al 1985;Pearlson et al 1991), particularly in male subjects (Andreasen et al 1990;Jernigan et al 1991;Mathew et al 1985;Reveley and Reveley 1987).…”

Consortium for the Human Information and Neurocognitive Endophenotype (CHINE) in mainland China: An example from neurological soft signs for neuropsychiatric disorders

“…However, the underlying cerebral changes have not yet been fully identified. Limited structural brain imaging from western samples suggest that neurological soft signs are associated with enlargement of cerebral ventricles [42], smaller brain areas [43], particularly in grey matter involving in sub-cortical regions such as putamen, globus pallidus and thalamus as well as cerebellum [44][45][46][47][48]. A similar reduction in grey matter volumes in these regions was also demonstrated in healthy volunteers [49].…”

Neurological soft signs as candidate endophenotypes for schizophrenia: A shooting star or a Northern star?

“…The presence of neurological soft signs has been associated with an enlargement of cerebral ventricles (Weinberger and Wyatt, 1982), and with smaller brain areas (DeMyer et al, 1988), whereas no correlation has been found between neurological soft signs and the calculated ratio between the width of the ventricles and the brain (Kolakowska et al, 1985).…”