title: Insight and regional brain volumes in schizophrenia.
abstract: We have investigated the relationship between insight impairment and regional brain volumes (gray and white matter) in schizophrenia using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Fifty patients with schizophrenia were evaluated using the Scale for Unawareness of Mental Disorders. Magnetic resonance images were acquired, segmented and spatially normalized using optimized VBM routines. No significant inverse correlations were detected between insight impairment and gray or white matter volumes in the prefrontal region (where significant findings had been predicted a priori), or in any other brain areas. Our results do not support previous hypotheses suggesting a relationship between frontal lobe atrophy and impaired insight in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos, 785, 30 andar, sala 09, São Paulo-S.P. CEP 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil. dbassit.73@fmusp.org.br
authors.forename: Débora Pastore
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Bassitt
authors.forename: Mario Rodrigues Louzä
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Cláudio Campi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Geraldo F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Busatto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D012649:Self Concept