title: Structural alterations of the superior temporal gyrus in schizophrenia: Detailed subregional differences.
abstract: Reduced gray matter volumes in the superior temporal gyrus (STG) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. Such volumetric abnormalities might denote alterations in cortical thickness, surface area, local gyrification or all of these factors. The STG can be anatomically divided into five subregions using automatic parcellation in FreeSurfer: lateral aspect of the STG, anterior transverse temporal gyrus of Heschl gyrus (HG), planum polare (PP) of the STG, planum temporale (PT) of the STG and transverse temporal sulcus.
  
  
  
  We acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 3T scans from 40 age- and sex-matched patients with schizophrenia and 40 healthy subjects, and the scans were automatically processed using FreeSurfer. General linear models were used to assess group differences in regional volumes and detailed thickness, surface area and local gyrification.
  
  
  
  As expected, patients with schizophrenia had significantly smaller bilateral STG volumes than healthy subjects. Of the five subregions in the STG, patients with schizophrenia showed significantly and marginally reduced volumes in the lateral aspect of the STG and PT of the STG bilaterally compared with healthy subjects. The volumetric alteration in bilateral lateral STG was derived from both the cortical thickness and surface area but not local gyrification. There was no significant laterality of the alteration in the lateral STG between patients and controls and no correlation among the structures and clinical characteristics.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest that of five anatomical subregions in the STG, the lateral STG is one of the most meaningful regions for brain pathophysiology in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan. Electronic address: ohi@kanazawa-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan; Project Research Center, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan. Electronic address: yukiy2001@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasuyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Schizophrenia; Superior temporal gyrus; Surface area; Thickness; Volume