Evidence from structural and diffusion tensor imaging for frontotemporal deficits in psychometric schizotypy.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies of nonclinical samples exhibiting schizotypal traits have provided support for the existence of a continuous distribution of psychotic symptoms in the general population. Few studies, however, have examined the neural correlates of psychometric schizotypy using structural and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).


METHODS
Healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 68 were recruited from the community and assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and received structural and DTI exams. Participants with high (N = 67) and low (N = 71) psychometric schizotypy were compared on gray and white matter volume, and cortical thickness in frontal and temporal lobe regions and on fractional anisotropy (FA) within 5 association tracts traversing the frontal and temporal lobes.


RESULTS
Higher levels of schizotypy were associated with lower overall volumes of gray matter in both the frontal and temporal lobes and lower gray matter thickness in the temporal lobe. Regionally specific effects were evident in both white matter and gray matter volume of the rostral middle frontal cortex and gray matter volume in the pars orbitalis. Moreover, relative to individuals who scored low, those who scored high in schizotypy had lower FA in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus as well as greater asymmetry (right > left) in the uncinate fasciculus.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are broadly consistent with recent data on the neurobiological correlates of psychometric schizotypy as well as findings in schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia and suggest that frontotemporal lobe dysfunction may represent a core component of the psychosis phenotype.
Center for Translational Psychiatry, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY; pderosse@lij.edu.
Pamela
P
DeRosse
Center for Translational Psychiatry, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY;
George C
GC
Nitzburg
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Applied Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS;
Toshikazu
T
Ikuta
Center for Translational Psychiatry, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY;
Bart D
BD
Peters
Center for Translational Psychiatry, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY; Hofstra North Shore - LIJ School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Hempstead, NY.
Anil K
AK
Malhotra
Center for Translational Psychiatry, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY; Hofstra North Shore - LIJ School of Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Hempstead, NY.
Philip R
PR
Szeszko
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011594:Psychometrics; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
MRI/DTI; healthy subjects; schizotypy