Right frontal hypergyria differentiation in affected and unaffected siblings from families multiply affected with schizophrenia: A morphometric MRI study

Objective: The authors used magnetic resonance imaging to corroborate the p ostmortem finding of right frontal hypergyria associated with schizophrenia . Method: Twelve affected-unaffected sibling pairs from families multiply aff ected with schizophrenia were studied. Bilateral measurement of the gyrific ation index, the ratio of the inner and outer surface contours, was perform ed on three different slices of the prefrontal region. Results: The mean gyrification index on the right side was significantly hi gher in siblings with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder than in the unaffected siblings. Conclusions: In this family cohort study, the postmortem finding of right-s ided hypergyria in subjects with schizophrenia was replicated in vivo with magnetic resonance imaging. This observation provides further support for a neurodevelopmental mechanism in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.