title: Sexual dimorphism of the cerebellar vermis in schizophrenia.
abstract: Converging lines of evidence implicate structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebellum in schizophrenia (SCZ). The cerebellar vermis is of particular interest given its association with clinical symptoms and cognitive deficits in SCZ and its known connections with cortical regions such as the prefrontal cortex. Prior neuroimaging studies have shown structural and functional abnormalities in the vermis in SCZ. In this study, we examined the cerebellar vermis in 50 individuals with SCZ and 54 healthy controls (HC) using a quantitative volumetric approach. All participants underwent high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The vermis was manually traced for each participant, and vermis volumes were computed using semiautomated methods. Volumes for total vermis and vermis subregions (anterior and posterior vermis) were analyzed in the SCZ and HC groups. Significant diagnosis-by-sex interaction effects were found in total vermis and vermis subregion analyses. These effects appeared to be driven by significantly decreased posterior vermis volumes in males with SCZ. Exploratory analyses did not reveal significant effects of clinical variables (FEP status, illness duration, and BPRS total score and subscores) on vermis volumes. The findings herein highlight the presence of neural sex differences in SCZ and the need for considering sex-related factors in studying the disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address: womerf@psychiatry.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Fay Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Womer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Shengnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; The Brain Imaging Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Deanna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065814:Cerebellar Vermis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Cerebellar vermis; Schizophrenia; Sex difference; Structural MRI