Volumetric MRI study of the short and long insular cortices in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
We have previously reported volume reductions of the insular cortex in schizophrenia, but it is still not clear whether insular cortex volume loss preferentially involves the anterior (short insular cortex) or posterior (long insular cortex) portion. On the other hand, no volumetric studies of the brain have examined changes in insular cortex volume in subjects with schizotypal features. In this study, we separately investigated the volumes of the short and long insular cortex portions using magnetic resonance imaging in 37 schizotypal disorder patients (24 males, 13 females), 62 schizophrenia patients (32 males, 30 females), and 69 healthy controls (35 males, 34 females). While the volumes of the short and long insular cortex were significantly reduced in schizophrenia patients compared with schizotypal disorder patients and control subjects, there was no difference between schizotypal disorder patients and control subjects. These results suggest that the volume reduction of the insular cortex may be specific to overt schizophrenia without topographically specific localization.
Takahashi
Tsutomu
T
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. tsutomu@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
Suzuki
Michio
M
Zhou
Shi-Yu
SY
Hagino
Hirofumi
H
Tanino
Ryoichiro
R
Kawasaki
Yasuhiro
Y
Nohara
Shigeru
S
Yamashita
Ikiko
I
Seto
Hikaru
H
Kurachi
Masayoshi
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index