GREY-MATTER CORRELATES OF SYNDROMES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - A SEMIAUTOMATED ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURAL MAGNETIC-RESONANCE IMAGES

Background Symptoms in schizophrenia cluster into syndromes, each of w hich may be associated with a particular pattern of cerebral blood flo w. We sought to investigate whether these syndromes are also related t o neuroanatomical changes. Method A semi-automated method was used to examine structural magnetic resonance images in 12 patients with schiz ophrenia. The relationship between the relative regional grey matter v olume and ratings of the syndromes of psyche motor poverty, disorganis ation and reality distortion was investigated. Results There was a sig nificant negative correlation between npsychomo tor poverty score and the relative volume of the left ventro-medial prefrontal grey matter, and a significant positive correlation between disorganisation and the relative volumes of the hippocampus, and the parahippocampal/fusiform gyrus bilaterally. Conclusion The correlation between psychomotor pov erty and left prefrontal grey matter volume resembles that previously seen with prefrontal blood flow in the same patients, suggesting that this functional abnormality is related to an underlying anatomical cha nge.