HEMISPHERIC-ASYMMETRY OF FRONTAL AND TEMPORAL GRAY-MATTER AND AGE-OF-ONSET IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Background: Investigators have reported lack of normal asymmetry of la teralization in some schizophrenic patients, as measured postmortem an d by preference and/or performance. It has been suggested that this la ck of asymmetry is related to early onset of schizophrenia. The presen t study extends the inquiry by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measur ement of volumetric asymmetry. Methods: Hemispheric asymmetry of volum e in regional gray matter was examined in 16 schizophrenic patients wh o had undergone MRI of brain volume. Results: Low levels of hemispheri c asymmetry in the frontal and temporal areas were strongly associated with early onset of schizophrenia, the association with frontal volum e being more marked than with temporal volume. No relationship was fou nd in the other brain areas that were scanned The findings were not ar tifacts of chronological age, nor of extreme scores in a small sample. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that f ailure to develop asymmetry is an important component of the pathology underlying some forms of schizophrenia. (C) 1998 Society of Biologica l Psychiatry.