DEFICITS IN GRAY-MATTER VOLUME ARE PRESENT IN SCHIZOPHRENIA BUT NOT BIPOLAR DISORDER

Studies using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging have provided strong evi dence that patients with schizophrenia as a group have structural brai n abnormalities, including enlarged ventricles and sulci as well as sm aller cortical gray matter volumes. This study was undertaken to inves tigate whether the brain abnormalities found in schizophrenia could be distinguished from those seen in bipolar disorder. The MR scans of 23 patients with schizophrenia were compared to those of 17 healthy comm unity volunteers and 14 patients with bipolar disorder. Images were pr ocessed using computer-based image processing techniques to generate q uantitative measures of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), gray matter and whi te matter volumes. Compared to the community volunteers, the schizophr enia group had larger total CSF volumes while the bipolar group had la rger lateral ventricles. Smaller cortical gray matter volumes were fou nd in the schizophrenia group, but not in the bipolar group. The schiz ophrenia group had regional deficits in gray matter volumes in compari son with both the community volunteers and tile bipolar group. These f indings suggest that the brain tissue abnormalities found in schizophr enia and bipolar disorder may be distinguishable using MR imaging. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.