Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Levitt, J. J. Articles by Shenton, M. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Levitt, J. J. Articles by Shenton, M. E. Neurophysiology Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders MRI Cognition

MRI Study of Caudate Nucleus Volume and Its Cognitive Correlates in Neuroleptic-Naive Patients With Schizotypal Personality Disorder

OBJECTIVE: "Cognitive" circuits anatomically link the frontal lobe to subcortical structures; therefore, pathology in any of the core components of these circuits, such as in the caudate nucleus, may result in neurobehavioral syndromes similar to those of the frontal lobe. Neuroleptic medication, however, affects the size of the caudate nucleus. For this reason, individuals diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder offer an ideal group for the measurement of the caudate nucleus because they may be genetically related to individuals with schizophrenia but do not require neuroleptic treatment because of their less severe symptoms. METHOD: Magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) scans obtained on a 1.5-T magnet with 1.5-mm contiguous slices were used to measure the caudate nucleus and lateral ventricles in 15 right-handed male subjects with schizotypal personality disorder who had no previous neuroleptic exposure and in 14 normal comparison subjects. Subjects were group matched for parental socioeconomic status, handedness, and gender. RESULTS: First, the authors found significantly lower left and right absolute (13.1%, 13.2%) and relative (9.1%, 9.2%) caudate nucleus volumes in never-medicated subjects with schizotypal personality disorder than in normal subjects. Second, they found significant, inverse correlations between caudate nucleus volume and the severity of perseveration in two distinct working memory tasks in these neuroleptic-naive subjects with schizotypal personality disorder. CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with the findings of reduced caudate nucleus volume reported in studies of neuroleptic-naive patients experiencing their first episode of schizophrenia and support the association of intrinsic pathology in the caudate nucleus with abnormalities in working memory in the schizophrenia spectrum.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Sawamoto, P. Piccini, G. Hotton, N. Pavese, K. Thielemans, and D. J. Brooks Cognitive deficits and striato-frontal dopamine release in Parkinson's disease Brain, May 1, 2008; 131(5): 1294 - 1302. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-S. Koo, C. C. Dickey, H.-J. Park, M. Kubicki, N. Y. Ji, S. Bouix, K. M. Pohl, J. J. Levitt, M. Nakamura, M. E. Shenton, et al. Smaller neocortical gray matter and larger sulcal cerebrospinal fluid volumes in neuroleptic-naive women with schizotypal personality disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 63(10): 1090 - 1100. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. M. S. Nys, M. J. E. v. Zandvoort, H. B. v. d. Worp, L. J. Kappelle, and E. H. F. d. Haan Neuropsychological and neuroanatomical correlates of perseverative responses in subacute stroke. Brain, August 1, 2006; 129(Pt 8): 2148 - 2157. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S G. Robles, P Gatignol, L Capelle, M-C Mitchell, and H Duffau The role of dominant striatum in language: a study using intraoperative electrical stimulations J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, July 1, 2005; 76(7): 940 - 946. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hirvonen, T. G. M. van Erp, J. Huttunen, S. Aalto, K. Nagren, M. Huttunen, J. Lonnqvist, J. Kaprio, J. Hietala, and T. D. Cannon Increased Caudate Dopamine D2 Receptor Availability as a Genetic Marker for Schizophrenia Arch Gen Psychiatry, April 1, 2005; 62(4): 371 - 378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Habib Athymhormia and Disorders of Motivation in Basal Ganglia Disease J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, November 1, 2004; 16(4): 509 - 524. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Siever and K. L. Davis The Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia Disorders: Perspectives From the Spectrum Am J Psychiatry, March 1, 2004; 161(3): 398 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2002 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us