Does the definition of borders of the planum temporale influence the results in schizophrenia?
OBJECTIVE
The planum temporale, a highly asymmetric neocortical area of the temporal lobe, has a possible role in schizophrenia. The authors used three different anatomical definitions of the planum temporale to examine the anterior, posterior, and total planum temporale gray matter volumes simultaneously.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine 30 male schizophrenic patients and 30 healthy male comparison subjects. The total planum temporale was identical in all three anatomical definitions applied to determine the border between the anterior and posterior planum temporale regions.


RESULTS
No significant differences between men with and without schizophrenia were detected with regard to planum temporale volumes and asymmetry coefficients for any of the three definitions.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors could not prove the hypothesis that the definition of planum temporale borders influences the results concerning possible disturbances of planum temporale asymmetry in patients with schizophrenia.
Meisenzahl
Eva M
EM
Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maxmilians-University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Germany. emeisen@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
Zetzsche
Thomas
T
Preuss
Ulrich
U
Frodl
Thomas
T
Leinsinger
Gerda
G
Möller
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
D000328:Adult; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009626:Terminology as Topic