title: Frontal lobe gray matter density decreases in bipolar I disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to explore differences in gray and white matter density between bipolar and healthy comparison groups using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed for 39 subjects with bipolar I disorder and 43 comparison subjects. Images were registered into a proportional stereotaxic space and segmented into gray matter, white mater, and cerebrospinal fluid. Statistical parametric mapping was used to calculate differences in gray and white matter density between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bipolar subjects had decreased gray matter density in left anterior cingulate gyrus (Brodmann's area [BA] 32, 7.3% decrease), an adjacent left medial frontal gyrus (BA 10, 6.9% decrease), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47, 9.2% decrease), and right precentral gyrus (BA 44, 6.2% decrease), relative to comparison subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observation of a gray matter density decrease in the left anterior cingulate, which processes emotions, in bipolar subjects is consistent with prior reports that used region-of-interest analytic methods. Decreased gray matter density in the right inferior frontal gyrus, which processes nonverbal and intrinsic functions, supports nondominant hemisphere dysfunction as a component of bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA.
authors.forename: In Kyoon
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Lyoo
authors.forename: Minue J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Demopulos
authors.forename: Aimee M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Parow
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Dager
authors.forename: Seth D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dunner
authors.forename: Perry F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Renshaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged