title: Voxel-based gray and white matter morphometry correlates of hallucinations in schizophrenia: The superior temporal gyrus does not stand alone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in schizophrenia (SZ) have been proposed to result from abnormal local, interregional and interhemispheric integration of brain signals in regions involved in language production and perception. This abnormal functional integration may find its base in morphological abnormalities. Structurally, AVHs have been frequently linked to abnormal morphology of the superior temporal gyrus (STG), but only a few studies investigated the relation of hallucination presence with both whole-brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) morphometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a unified voxel-based morphometry-DARTEL approach, we investigated correlates of AVH presence in 51 schizophrenia patients (20 non-hallucinating [SZ -], 31 hallucinating [SZ +]), and included 51 age and sex matched healthy participants. Effects are reported at p < .05 FWE corrected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients showed lower GM volume of the left STG than controls, irrespective of AVH presence. In addition, SZ + showed lower GM volume of the left inferior frontal and right parahippocampal gyrus, and higher WM volume of the left postcentral and superior parietal lobule than controls. Finally, volume of the putamen was lower in SZ + compared to SZ -. No effects on corpus callosum morphometry were observed. Delusion severity, general positive and negative symptomatology illness duration, and medication status could not explain the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that STG GM abnormalities underlie the general susceptibility to experience psychotic symptoms and that additional abnormalities in a network of medial temporal, ventrolateral, putaminal, and parietal regions related to verbal memory and speech production may specifically increase the likelihood of experiencing AVH. Future studies should clarify the meaning of morphometry abnormalities for functional interregional communication.
authors: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Neuroimaging Center, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Marie-José
authors: MJ
authors: van Tol
authors: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Neuroimaging Center, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, The Netherlands ; Lentis Institution for Mental Health Care, Department of Rehabilitation, PO Box 128, 9470 AC Zuidlaren, The Netherlands.
authors: Lisette
authors: L
authors: van der Meer
authors: University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Bruggeman
authors: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Department of Psychosis Studies, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Modinos
authors: Lentis Institution for Mental Health Care, Groningen and Lentis Institution for Mental Health Care, Department of Rehabilitation, Postbus 128, 9470 AC Zuidlaren, The Netherlands.
authors: Henderikus
authors: H
authors: Knegtering
authors: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Neuroimaging Center, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Aleman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Auditory verbal hallucinations; Inter-hemispheric connectivity; Positive and negative syndrome scale; Schizophrenia; Superior temporal gyrus; Voxel based morphometry