3-DIMENSIONAL CORTICAL MORPHOMETRY OF THE PLANUM TEMPORALE IN CHILDHOOD-ONSET SCHIZOPHRENIA

Objective: Anomalous planum temporale asymmetry has been linked to bot h schizophrenia and dyslexia. The authors examined the planum temporal e of adolescents with childhood-onset schizophrenia who had a high rat e of prepsychotic language disorders. Method: Planum temporale area an d asymmetry were measured in 16 right-handed adolescent patients with schizophrenia who had experienced onset of psychosis by age 12. The sa me measures were made in 16 healthy adolescents matched for age, sex, and handedness. Results: No differences between the healthy adolescent s and those with schizophrenia in planum temporale area or asymmetry w ere observed. Prepsychotic language disorder predicted abnormal planum temporale asymmetry in the adolescents with schizophrenia. Conclusion s: These findings do not support anomalous planum temporale asymmetry as a basis for psychopathology in childhood-onset schizophrenia.