DIFFERENCES IN QUALITATIVE BRAIN MORPHOLOGY FINDINGS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA, MAJOR DEPRESSION, BIPOLAR DISORDER AND NORMAL VOLUNTEERS

This study examined the frequency and type of qualitative brain morpho logic anomaly as a function of sex and diagnosis. Magnetic resonance i maging brain scans were evaluated by an experienced neuroradiologist b lind to diagnosis. The scans of 325 individuals (108 schizophrenic, 20 schizoaffective, 27 major depressive, 20 bipolar and 150 healthy volu nteers) were categorized into one of five groups: normal, hyperintensi ty signals, volume loss, ventricular anomaly or ''other'' abnormality. Schizophrenic men had significantly more morphologic anomalies, espec ially of the lateral ventricles than healthy male volunteers. Schizoph renic women did not differ from healthy women, Schizoaffective patient s of both sexes, male depressive patients and female bipolar patients were also characterized by higher rates of brain anomalies. Independen t of diagnosis, women were more likely than men to have hyperintensity signals among individuals with positive scan findings. The overall ra te of brain morphologic anomalies is significantly higher among male s chizophrenic patients than healthy volunteers; this is not specific to male schizophrenics, however, suggesting a global sex effect. Type of anomaly may differ by sex and give us clues about sex differences in the pathophysiology of psychopathology.