Reduced frontal and occipital lobe asymmetry on the CT-scans of schizophrenic patients. Its specificity and clinical significance.
Frontal and occipital lobe width were determined in the computed tomographic (= CT) scans of 135 schizophrenic patients, 158 neuropsychiatrically healthy and 102 psychiatric control subjects, including patients with affective psychosis, neurosis and schizoaffective psychosis. Most healthy right handed subjects demonstrate a relative enlargement of the right frontal as well as left occipital lobe compared to the opposite hemisphere. These normal frontal and occipital lobe asymmetries were selectively reduced in schizophrenics (f.: 5%, p < .0005; o.: 3%, p < .05), irrespective of the psychopathological subgroup. Schizophrenic neuroleptic non-responders revealed a significant reduction of frontal lobe asymmetry (3%, p < .05), while no correlation between BPRS-subscores and disturbed cerebral laterality could be detected. In sum the present study demonstrates disturbed cerebral lateralisation in schizophrenic patients supporting the hypothesis of interrupted early brain development in schizophrenia.
Falkai
P
P
Department of Psychiatry, University of Düsseldorf, Federal Republic of Germany.
Schneider
T
T
Greve
B
B
Klieser
E
E
Bogerts
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents