title: Prefrontal cortex volume deficit in schizophrenia: a new look using 3T MRI with manual parcellation.
abstract: In this study we use high resolution Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) and apply rigorous manual tracing criteria in order to assess volumetrically the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in schizophrenia. Previous MRI studies suggested PFC is included in neural systems necessary for emotional processing and cognition, and regional PFC abnormalities might, thus, lead to specific negative symptoms, as well as a frequent association of poorer performance in category switching. The aim of this study was to use 3T imaging and reliable manual parcellation to determine if, as hypothesized, this higher precision would reveal additional MRI abnormalities in PFC in schizophrenia, and an association between PFC abnormalities and specific negative symptoms, as well as in category switching. Using 3-T MRI, 27 schizophrenia patients and 27 healthy controls were examined. PFC was manually parcellated into frontal pole, superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Left SFG (p=0.004), bilateral MFG (left: p=0.007; right: p=0.007), and bilateral IFG (left: p<0.001; right: p=0.002) showed volume reduction. There were symptom associations between smaller left MFG volumes and more affective flattening (R=-0.465, p=0.015), and smaller left IFG volumes and poorer performance on the alternating semantic category test (R=0.440, p=0.025). In summary, 3-T imaging revealed widespread gyral volume deficits in PFC gyri, and specific associations with selective negative symptoms, such as affective flattening, and with deficits in cognitive switching.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Safety and Health Organization, Chiba University, Chiba City 263-8522, Japan. Electronic address: otanit@chiba-u.jp.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA 02125, USA.
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Nestor
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Saga University Hospital, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga City 849-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama City 236-0004, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asami
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Martha E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Shenton
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niznikiewicz
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA, Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02301, USA.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: McCarley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Cognitive switching; Magnetic resonance imaging; Negative symptom; Prefrontal cortex; Schizophrenia