title: Impact of gray matter reductions on theory of mind abilities in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: To identify the brain regions involved in the interpretation of intentional movement by patients with schizophrenia, we investigated the association between cerebral gray matter (GM) volumes and performance on a theory of mind (ToM) task using voxel-based morphometry. Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and thirty healthy controls participated in the study. Participants were given a moving shapes task that employs the interpretation of intentional movement. Verbal descriptions were rated according to intentionality. ToM performance deficits in patients were found to be positively correlated with GM volume reductions in the superior temporal sulcus and medial prefrontal cortex. Our findings confirm that divergent brain regions contribute to mentalizing abilities and that GM volume reductions impact behavioral deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine , University of Muenster , Muenster , Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koelkebeck
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirao
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Ryosaku
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Teruyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saze
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dannlowski
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ubukata
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ohrmann
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Anya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Hidenao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuyama
authors.forename: Nobukatsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sawamoto
authors.forename: Hidehiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*