Gray matter volume differences and the effects of smoking on gray matter in schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Many studies have evaluated differences in gray matter volume in schizophrenia, but have not considered the possible effects of smoking, which is extraordinarily common in people with the illness. The present study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine differences in gray matter in subjects with schizophrenia and evaluate the effects of smoking on this measure.


METHODS
Thirty-two subjects with schizophrenia (14 smokers, 18 non-smokers) and 32 healthy comparison subjects participated in the study. Whole brain, voxel-wise analyses of regional gray matter volume were conducted using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).


RESULTS
Reduced gray matter was observed in the schizophrenia group in the orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral insula and superior temporal gyri (STG), bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC), medial frontal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Within this group, smoking subjects had greater lateral prefrontal and STG gray matter volumes relative to non-smoking subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of reduced gray matter volume in prefrontal and temporal regions in schizophrenia is consistent with prior anatomical tracing and whole-brain voxel-based studies. Greater gray matter volumes in smoking relative to non-smoking subjects with schizophrenia highlight a potential experimental confound in volumetric studies and suggests that smoking may be associated with a relative preservation of lateral prefrontal and temporal gray matter in schizophrenia.
Tregellas
Jason R
JR
Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. Jason.Tregellas@UCHSC.edu
Shatti
Shireen
S
Tanabe
Jody L
JL
Martin
Laura F
LF
Gibson
Linzi
L
Wylie
Korey
K
Rojas
Donald C
DC
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000473:pathology