To replicate earlier findings of central and cortical cerebral
structural abnormalities and to further examine specific prefrontal
cortical irregularities in schizophrenia, the authors examined computerized
tomographic (CT) scans of 71 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 30
normal volunteer control subjects for ventricle- brain ratio (VBR), third
ventricle width, and prominence of cortical markings in a generalized
(parieto-occipital) distribution compared with the prefrontal area.
Patients showed significantly larger VBRs and third ventricle widths than
control subjects. Patients also showed significantly greater prefrontal
markings in terms of both the number of individuals affected and the degree
of difference. The relative differences on measures of VBR and prefrontal
atrophy did not appear gender related, but the difference in third
ventricle width between schizophrenic and control women was greater than
that between schizophrenic and control men.
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