GENDER-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN HEMISPHERI C LATERALIZATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - AN MEG-MRI STUDY

In this magnetoencephalography study the issue of hemispheric laterali sation in patients with schizophrenia was addressed using acoustically evoked neuromagnetic fields. The characteristics of dipoles in the su perior temporal gyrus, the primary auditory cortex, were calculated. I n contrast to other studies, alterations did not concern the localisat ion, but rather the orientation of dipoles. Of pathophysiological inte rest was that the dipoles abnormalities were found left-hemisphericall y in male (p=0.02) and right-hemispherically in female patients with s chizophrenia (p=0.01) when compared to controls. The findings suggest gender-specific alterations of hemispheric lateralisation in schizophr enia.