INVERSION OF THE HEMISPHERIC LATERALITY OF THE ANTERIOR CINGULATE GYRUS IN SCHIZOPHRENICS

The anterior cingulate gyrus (acg) is involved in mechanisms of attent ion and emotion, where the right hemisphere is considered to be domina nt. One of the models for neuropsychological dysfunction in schizophre nia suggests an impairment in the balance of lateralized functions. Fo urteen adult human female brains, having no macroscopic lesions, were used in this study. Seven brains came from female patients with clinic al diagnoses of residual schizophrenia (DSM-III-R; APA 1987), Seven fe male brains were used as controls. Thirteen male brains were also stud ied, with the sole purpose of establishing the typicality of the femal e controls, All schizophrenic brains were age matched with control bra ins, Right laterality for weight (71.4%) and surface (85.7%) was obser ved in the acg of female control brains. The inversion of this lateral ity in a significant number of the schizophrenic cases was the most re levant finding in this study.