The visual cortex in schizophrenia: alterations of gyrification rather than cortical thickness--a combined cortical shape analysis.
In light of bottom-up models of disrupted cognition in schizophrenia, visual processing deficits became a key feature for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However, morphometric studies focusing on the visual cortex are limited. Thus, the present study sought to provide a combined cortical shape analysis (cortical thickness, folding) of visual areas, which were implicated to be involved in disturbed visual processing in schizophrenia. A group of 72 patients with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and 72 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were included. All participants underwent high-resolution T1-weighted MRI scans on a 1.5-T scanner. Cortical thickness and mean curvature of the V1, V2 and V5/MT+ visual cortex were estimated using an automated computerized algorithm (Freesurfer Software). A GLM controlling for the effect of age was used to estimate differences of cortical shape parameters between the study groups. Significantly increased gyrification of the V1, V2 and the V5/MT+ visual area bilaterally was detected. Conversely, cortical thickness was reduced in patients with schizophrenia only for the V5/MT+ area. This study is the first providing direct in vivo evidence for a disturbed cortical shape of central visual areas in schizophrenia. The present findings of hypergyria are highly indicative for a disrupted corticogenesis of these visual key regions and might constitute a relevant anatomical basis for visual processing deficits in schizophrenia.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07740 Jena, Germany. christoph.schultz@med.uni-jena.de
C Christoph
CC
Schultz
Gerd
G
Wagner
Kathrin
K
Koch
Christian
C
Gaser
Martin
M
Roebel
Claudia
C
Schachtzabel
Igor
I
Nenadic
Jürgen R
JR
Reichenbach
Heinrich
H
Sauer
Ralf G M
RG
Schlösser
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult