CAUDATE-NUCLEUS AREA IN DRUG-INDUCED PARKINSONISM

This study examined caudate nuclei areas in 10 schizophrenic subjects with and 25 schizophrenic subjects without parkinsonian symptoms. The subjects with parkinsonian symptoms were found to have statistically s ignificantly smaller right caudate nuclei and a trend towards smaller left caudates. Cortical measurements did not differ between the groups . These results are consistent with the suggestion that antipsychotic drugs exert some neurotoxic effects, but should be viewed as prelimina ry and require replication.