PATTERNS OF REGIONAL CORTICAL DYSMORPHOLOGY DISTINGUISHING SCHIZOPHRENIA AND CHRONIC-ALCOHOLISM

Background: This study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compar e the extent and pattern of tissue volume deficit and cerebrospinal fl uid volume enlargement in chronic alcoholics and schizophrenics. Metho ds: The subjects included 62 detoxified chronic alcoholics (26-63 year s), 71 schizophrenics (23-63 years), and 73 controls spanning the adul t age range (21-70 years), MRI volumes were adjusted for normal variat ion in head size and age established from the central group. Results: Both patient groups showed widespread cortical gray matter volume defi cits compared with controls, but only the alcoholics had white matter volume deficits. The schizophrenics had significantly greater volume d eficits in the prefrontal and anterior superior temporal gray matter t han in the more posterior cortical regions. By contrast, the deficits in the alcoholics were relatively homogeneous across the cortex. For w hite matter, the deficits in the alcoholics were greatest in the prefr ontal and temporal-parietal regions. Although both patient groups had abnormally larger cortical sulci and lateral and third ventricles than the controls, the alcoholics had significantly larger sulcal volumes in the frontal, anterior, and posterior parietal-occipital regions tha n the schizophrenics. Conclusions: This quantitative MRI study reveale d different patterns of regional cortical volume abnormalities in schi zophrenics and alcoholics. The schizophrenic group exhibited cortical gray matter volume deficits of modestly greater magnitude than that ob served in the alcoholic group, and the alcoholics bur not the schizoph renics exhibited cortical white matter volume deficits. (C) 1998 Socie ty of Biological Psychiatry.