title: Quantification of thalamocortical tracts in schizophrenia on probabilistic maps.
abstract: Diffusion properties of the thalamocortical pathways were compared between 30 schizophrenic patients and 22 healthy age-matched and sex-matched volunteers. T1-weighted and diffusion tensor images were used for cortical parcellation and probabilistic tractography to generate population-based thalamocortical pathway maps. The weighted fractional anisotropy and the longitudinal and transversal diffusivity of each pathway were calculated for individual participants. Patients with schizophrenia demonstrated decreased anisotropy and increased longitudinal and transversal diffusivity within the pathways from the mediodorsal nucleus and the pulvinar to the orbitofrontal and parietal-occipital-temporal lobes. Anisotropy decreases and diffusivity increases were correlated with positive and negative syndrome scale scores. Alterations in global diffusion properties within the thalamocortical pathways imply the disruption of brain circuitry in schizophrenic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seodaemoon-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo Yeol
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joongil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hae-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001284:Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004058:Diffusion; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology