Schizophrenia and the frontal lobes - Post-mortem stereological study of tissue volume

Background It has been suggested that there is frontal lobe involvement in schizophrenia. and that it may be lateralised and gender-specific. Aims To clarify the structure of the frontal robes in schizophrenia in a po stmortem series. Method The volume of white matter and cortical components of the frontal lo bes was measured in brains of controls and patients with schizophrenia usin g planimetry and the Cavalieri principle. The components measured were: sup erior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, a composite of inferior frontal gyrus and orbite-frontal cortex. as well as total frontal lobe cortex and w hite matter. In addition. the anterior cingulate gyrus was measured. Results No diagnosis,gender, diagnosis x side, diagnosis x gender or diagno sis x gender x side interactions were observed in the volume of any of the components, the grey matter as a whole or the white matter. No evidence for volumetric inter-group differences was found for the anterior cingulate gy rus. Conclusions Such structural abnormalities as are present in the frontal rob es are more subtle than straightforward alterations in tissue volume; they may include changes in shape and the pattern of gyral folding. Declaration of interest This work was supported by The Medical Research Cou ncil and The Wellcome Trust.