title: A magnetization transfer analysis of the thalamus in schizophrenia.
abstract: The authors investigated the thalamus in schizophrenia by using magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), a novel structural magnetic resonance technique sensitive to subtle neuropathological abnormalities. The dorsomedial nucleus (DMN) and pulvinar were selected because of their connections to limbic, prefrontal, and temporal regions, putatively relevant in schizophrenia. Volume (intracranial; thalamic) and MTR (whole thalamus; DMN; pulvinar) were determined in 25 patients with chronic schizophrenia by DSM-IV criteria and 25 control subjects. There were no significant differences between patients and control subjects in thalamic volume (corrected for intracranial volume) or MTR in whole thalamus, DMN, or pulvinar. No volumetric or MTR abnormalities could be detected in the thalamus of patients with schizophrenia. The findings suggest that abnormalities, if present, are very subtle and beyond the power of resolution of these techniques.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Department of Clinical Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. m.bagary@ion.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Manny S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bagary
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foong
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: duBoulay
authors.forename: Gareth J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000002:abnormalities*