STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE CORPUS-CALLOSUM IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - WHATS THE CONNECTION

Tests of both structure and function of the corpus callosum have revea led abnormalities in schizophrenic patients. One such functional test employed lateralised Stroop stimuli presented tachistoscopically, to m easure the transfer of interference and facilitation between the cereb ral hemispheres. An attempt was made to relate indices of callosal tra nsfer to clinical and demographic variables, including family history, as well as to indices of brain morphology. The latter included ventri cle: brain ratio (VBR) measured by computed tomography (CT) scanning o n 31 DSMIII schizophrenics, and the cross-sectional area of the corpus callosum from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), obtained from 20 of t hese patients. VBR did nor relate to functional measures; however, ant erior callosal area correlated with indices of callosal connectivity. Patients with auditory hallucinations had smaller anterior callosal ar eas and tended to show less connectivity. The results show links betwe en functional and structural measures of the corpus callosum, but thei r precise nature remains unclear.