Shape differences in the corpus callosum in first-episode schizophrenia and first-episode psychotic affective disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The corpus callosum, the largest white matter tract in the brain, is a midline structure associated with the formation of the hippocampus, septum pellucidum, and cingulate cortex, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Corpus callosum shape deformation, therefore, may reflect a midline neurodevelopmental abnormality.


METHODS
Corpus callosum area and shape were analyzed in 14 first-episode psychotic patients with schizophrenia, 19 first-episode psychotic patients with affective disorder, and 18 normal comparison subjects.


RESULTS
No statistically significant corpus callosum area differences between groups were found, but there were differences in the structure's shape between the patients with schizophrenia and the comparison subjects. A correlation between width and angle of the corpus callosum was found in patients with affective disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Corpus callosum shape abnormalities in first-episode psychotic patients with schizophrenia may reflect a midline neurodevelopmental abnormality.
Frumin
Melissa
M
Consolidated Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and VA Boston Healthcare System-Brockton Division, 02301, USA.
Golland
Polina
P
Kikinis
Ron
R
Hirayasu
Yoshio
Y
Salisbury
Dean F
DF
Hennen
John
J
Dickey
Chandlee C
CC
Anderson
Mark
M
Jolesz
Ferenc A
FA
Grimson
W Eric L
WE
McCarley
Robert W
RW
Shenton
Martha E
ME
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*