Brain morphometry and electrophysiological recordings in relation to illness duration in schizophrenia

摘要

Schizophrenia has been recently increasingly linked with a number of structural brain morphological changes which can be associated with functional deficiencies. The aim of this study is to relate electro-physiological changes with structural changes of Heschl's gyrus (HG) volume in schizophrenia. Fifteen schizophrenia patients were compared with control group by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetry and auditory evoked potentials. A significantly lower bilateral HG volumes and a significantly lower global field power value of the N1P2 component were detected in the schizophrenia group. The auditory evoked potentials have been used as a functional correlate that displayed a significant amplitude reduction that matched the reduction in the HG volume with the chronicity of the disease. This trend may be utilized as a vehicle to assess follow-up of the disorder by means of MRI and electrophysiology