Auditory Cortex Characteristics in Schizophrenia: Associations With Auditory Hallucinations.
Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated associations between smaller auditory cortex volume and auditory hallucinations (AH) in schizophrenia. Reduced cortical volume can result from a reduction of either cortical thickness or cortical surface area, which may reflect different neuropathology. We investigate for the first time how thickness and surface area of the auditory cortex relate to AH in a large sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients.



Schizophrenia spectrum (n = 194) patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Mean cortical thickness and surface area in auditory cortex regions (Heschl's gyrus [HG], planum temporale [PT], and superior temporal gyrus [STG]) were compared between patients with (AH+, n = 145) and without (AH-, n = 49) a lifetime history of AH and 279 healthy controls.



AH+ patients showed significantly thinner cortex in the left HG compared to AH- patients (d = 0.43, P = .0096). There were no significant differences between AH+ and AH- patients in cortical thickness in the PT or STG, or in auditory cortex surface area in any of the regions investigated. Group differences in cortical thickness in the left HG was not affected by duration of illness or current antipsychotic medication.



AH in schizophrenia patients were related to thinner cortex, but not smaller surface area of the left HG, a region which includes the primary auditory cortex. The results support that structural abnormalities of the auditory cortex underlie AH in schizophrenia.
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; lynn.morch-johnsen@medisin.uio.no.|NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Lynn
L
Mørch-Johnsen
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Ragnar
R
Nesvåg
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Kjetil N
KN
Jørgensen
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Elisabeth H
EH
Lange
NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Cecilie B
CB
Hartberg
NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Unn K
UK
Haukvik
NORMENT, Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Kristiina
K
Kompus
Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
René
R
Westerhausen
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Kåre
K
Osnes
NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Ole A
OA
Andreassen
NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Ingrid
I
Melle
NORMENT, Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Division of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Kenneth
K
Hugdahl
Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Ingrid
I
Agartz
D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
Heschl’s gyrus; cortical surface area; cortical thickness; magnetic resonance imaging; neuroimaging; psychosis