Magnetic Resonance Brain Images in Schizophrenic and Normal Subjects: Influence of Diagnosis and Education

• Published in: Schizophrenia bulletin Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 21 - 37
• Main Authors: DeMyer, Marian K., Gilmor, Richard L., Hendrie, Hugh C., DeMyer, William E., Augustyn, Gary T., Jackson, Roger K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford National Institute of Mental Health 1988; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - pathology; Brain Weight; Cerebral Ventricles; Cerebral Ventricles - pathology; Dominance, Cerebral - physiology; Educational Status; Female; Frontal Lobe; Frontal Lobe - pathology; Human; Humans; Inpatient; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neurocognitive Disorders - pathology; Neuroimaging; Neuropsychological Tests; Outpatient; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - pathology; Schizophrenic Psychology; Techniques and methods; Tomography; Human; Psychosis; Brain; Study level; Central nervous system; Schizophrenia; Diagnosis; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 0586-7614; 1745-1701
• DOI: 10.1093/schbul/14.1.21

Evidence from computerized tomography (CT) suggests that schizophrenic patients may have smaller brains than normal subjects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produces more clearly defined images than CT, was used to measure T1 and brain size of 24 schizophrenic and 24 normal subjects matched for age and sex but not for education. Two transverse images were obtained: slice 1 at the foramina of Monro and slice 2 at the widest part of the lateral ventricles. Adequate T1 instrumental reliability could not be demonstrated. Schizophrenic subjects had smaller right hemispheres (slice 1) and smaller frontal areas (slice 2) than normal subjects. However, when education was taken into account, only the left frontal area (slice 2) was smaller in schizophrenic than in normal subjects. Larger brain areas were associated with better cognitive test scores and fewer neurological signs. Cranial and body size were similar in both diagnostic groups.