Morphometrical and morphological analysis of lateral ventricles in schizophrenia patients versus healthy controls.
The goal of this report was to highlight lateral ventricle morphology and volume differences between schizophrenia patients and matched controls. Subjects identified as suitable for analysis comprised 15 schizophrenia patients and 15 healthy subjects. The method applied is three-dimensional (3D) volume rendering starting from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of selected ventricular regions. Differences between groups relative to the global ventricular system and its subdivisions were found. Total lateral ventricle volume, right ventricle volume and left ventricle volume were all higher in schizophrenia patients than in controls; unilateral differences between the two groups were also outlined (right ventricle volume>left ventricle volume in schizophrenia patients vs. healthy subjects). Furthermore, occipital and frontal horn enlargement was found in schizophrenia patients compared with normal controls, but the difference in the temporal horn was not statistically significant. A substantial difference was noted in lateral ventricle morphology between the two groups. Our findings were consistent with the literature and may shed light on some of the discrepancies in previous reports on differences in lateral ventricle volume enlargement.
Meduri
Mario
M
Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, University of Messina, Italy.
Bramanti
Placido
P
Ielitro
Giuseppe
G
Favaloro
Angelo
A
Milardi
Demetrio
D
Cutroneo
Giuseppina
G
Muscatello
Maria Rosaria Anna
MR
Bruno
Antonio
A
Micò
Umberto
U
Pandolfo
Gianluca
G
La Torre
Diletta
D
Vaccarino
Gianluigi
G
Anastasi
Giuseppe
G
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult