PREVALENCE OF CAVUM SEPTUM PELLUCIDUM DETECTED BY MRI IN PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER, MAJOR DEPRESSION AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

The incidence of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), which has been widely regarded as a developmental anomaly of little clinical importance in n europathology, was examined in 113 patients with affective disorders ( 69 with bipolar disorder and 44 with major depression), 40 schizophren ic patients, and 92 control subjects by magnetic resonance imaging (MR I). Significantly higher incidence of Grade 3-4 CSP (moderate to large ) compared with the controls was found only in the schizophrenics. Whe n a broader interpretation of CSP, including indeterminant (Grade 1) a nd small (Grade 2) CSP was used, three additional patients with bipola r disorder were found to have Grade 1-2 CSP, and the total prevalence of Grade 1-4 CSP in the patients with bipolar disorder was significant ly higher than that in the control subjects but slightly lower than th at in the schizophrenic patients. CSP was not observed in any patient with major depression. There were no differences between the patients with and without CSP in age, sex, education, or the duration of illnes s. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that neurodevelop mental abnormality may be present in schizophrenia, and such an abnorm ality may also be present in some patients with bipolar disorder.