Grey matter correlates of syndromes in schizophrenia

Background Symptoms in schizophrenia duster into syndromes, each of which may be associated with a particular pattern of cerebral blood flow. We sought to investigate whether these syndromes are also related to neuroanatomical changes. Method A semi-automated method was used to examine structural magnetic resonance images in 12 patients with schizophrenia. The relationship between the relative regional grey matter volume and ratings of the syndromes of psychomotor poverty, disorganisation and reality distortion was investigated. Results There was a significant negative correlation between psychomotor poverty score and the relative volume of the left ventro-medial prefrontal grey matter, and a significant positive correlation between disorganisation and the relative volumes of the hippocampus, and the parahippocampal/fusiform gyrus bilaterally. Conclusion The correlation between psychomotor poverty and left prefrontal grey matter volume resembles that previously seen with prefrontal blood flow in the same patients, suggesting that this functional abnormality is related to an underlying anatomical change.