title: Cavum septum pellucidum and adhesio interthalamica in schizophrenia: an MRI study.
abstract: Several studies have independently suggested that patients with schizophrenia are more likely to have an enlarged cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and an absent adhesio interthalamica (AI), respectively. However, neither finding has been consistently replicated and it is unclear whether there is an association between these two midline brain abnormalities. Thus, we compared the prevalence of absent AI and the prevalence, size and volume of CSP in 38 patients with schizophrenia and 38 healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There were no between group differences in the presence or volume of CSP; however, an enlarged CSP was commoner among patients than controls. There was also a positive correlation between CSP ratings and volumes. No differences in the presence or absence of the AI were found between patients and controls; however, an absent AI was commoner in male patients with schizophrenia than females. There was absolutely no overlap between the presence of a large CSP and an absence of AI. In conclusion, our findings are in line with several case series and other MRI investigations that have shown a higher incidence of putatively developmental brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia, particularly in males, and support the neurodevelopmental model of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. jcrippa@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: José Alexandre
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: de Souza Crippa
authors.forename: Antonio Waldo
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zuardi
authors.forename: Geraldo F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Busatto
authors.forename: Rafael Faria
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amaro
authors.forename: Jaime Eduardo Cecílio
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hallak
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Philip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013788:Thalamus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*