Abnormal Volumetric Alterations in the Schizophrenic Brain.

Abstract

Different lines of evidence support a role for the cerebellum and the hippocampus in the pathology of schizophrenia. The involvement of the cerebellum might be represented in structural deficiencies in patients with schizophrenia. The current research investigates the possibility of volumetric differences between healthy controls and patients suffering from schizophrenia.

Volumetric measures were obtained from nineteen patients diagnosed with first episode psychosis, early psychosis or established schizophrenia and thirty healthy controls using a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance scanner. Results show a significant difference in the association patterns between Groups in the structures of interest. This indicates possible structural abnormalities in the hippocampus and cerebellum, associated with the pathology of schizophrenia.