Skip to main content

Neuroanatomical factors in schizophrenia

  • Chapter
Schizophrenia

Abstract

Attempts to find neuroanatomical bases for schizophrenia began soon after the first descriptions of the syndrome. Since that time, brain structure in chronic schizophrenic patients has been examined using a variety of histopathological techniques; and more recently, medical imaging methods have been used to visualize the brain in living patients. The gross structure of the brain is remarkably normal in most schizophrenic patients, and no consistent structural aberration, at any level of anatomical analysis, has been found to be present in the brains of all patients with schizophrenia. Nevertheless, some consistency does exist regarding the increased prevalence in schizophrenia of certain anatomical features. Thus, hopes are raised that while no single abnormality may prove to be specific to schizophrenia, perhaps some pattern of anatomical factors may be; and that if this pattern were known, useful neurobehavioural models might be developed to explain the symptoms of the disorder. This chapter will not attempt an exhaustive review of anatomical studies in schizophrenia. Rather, the review will focus on those studies particularly relevant to the dominant themes that arise in the discussions that go on in the field today: namely, whether the abnormalities cluster in certain functional systems, whether they are present before the onset of the disorder, and whether they are static or progressive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Altshuler, L.L., Conrad, A., Kovelman, J.A. and Scheibel, A. (1987) Hippocampal pyramidal cell orientation in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 1094–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andreasen, N.C., Ehrhardt, J.C., Swayze, V.W. et al. (1990) Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 47, 35–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andreasen, N., Nasrallah, H.A., Dunn, V. et al. (1986) Structural abnormalities in the frontal system in schizophrenia: A magnetic resonance imaging study. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 43, 136–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Averbach, P. (1981) Lesions of the nucleus ansae peduncularis in neuropsychiatric disease. Arch. Neurol., 38, 230–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benes, F.M. and Bird, E.D. (1987) An analysis of the arrangement of neurons in the cingulate cortex of schizophrenic patients. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 608–16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benes, F., Davidson, J. and Bird, E.D. (1986) Quantitative cytoarchitectural studies of the cerebral cortex of schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 43, 31–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benes, F.M., Majocha, R., Bird, E.D. and Marotta, C.A. (1987) Increased vertical axon numbers in cingulate cortex of schizophrenics. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 1017–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bigelow, L.B., Nasrallah, H.A. and Rausher, F.P. (1983) Corpus callosum thickness in chronic schizophrenia. Br. J. Psychiatry, 142, 284–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bogerts, B., Meertz, E. and Schönfeldt-Bausch, R. (1985) Basal ganglia and limbic system pathology in schizophrenia: A morphometric study of brain volume and shrinkage. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 42, 784–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boronow, J., Pickar, D., Ninan, P.T. et al. (1985) Atrophy limited to the third ventricle in chronic schizophrenia patients: Report of a controlled series. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 42, 266–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., Colter, N., Corsellis, J.A.N. et al. (1986) Postmortem evidence of structural brain changes in schizophrenia. Differences in brain weight, temporal horn area, and parahippocampal gyrus compared with affective disorder. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 43, 36–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Casanova, M.F., Waldman, I.N. and Kleinman, J.E. (1990) A postmortem quantitative study of iron in the globus pallidus of schizophrenic patients. Biol. Psychiatry, 27, 143–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christison, G.W., Casanova, M.F., Weinberger, D.R. et al. (1989) A quantitative investigation of hippocampal pyramidal cell size, shape, and variability of orientation in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 46, 1027–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coffman, J.A, Mefferd, J., Golden, C. J. et al. (1981) Cerebellar atrophy in chronic schizophrenia. Lancet, 1, 666.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colter, N., Battal, S., Crow, T.J. et al. (1987) White matter reduction in the parahippocampal gyrus of patients with schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 1023.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crow, T.J. (1980) Molecular pathology of schizophrenia: More than one disease process? Br. Med. J., 280, 66–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crow, T.J. (1983a) Is schizophrenia an infectious disease? Lancet, 1, 173–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crow, T.J. (1983b) Schizophrenia as an infection. Lancet, 1, 819–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delisi, L.E. and Goldin, L.R. (1987) Hat size in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 672–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dewan, M.J., Pandurangi, A.K., Lee, S.H. et al. (1983a) Cerebellar morphology in chronic schizophrenic patients: A controlled computed tomography study. Psychiatry Res., 10, 97–103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dewan, M.J., Pandurangi, A.K., Lee, S.H. et al. (1983b) Central brain morphology in chronic schizophrenic patients: A controlled CT study. Biol. Psychiatry, 18, 1133–40.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dom, R., DeSaedeleer, J., Bogerts, J. and Hopf, A. (1981) Quantitative cytometric analysis of basal ganglia in catatonic schizophrenia. In Biological Psychiatry. C. Perris, G. Strewe and B. Jansson (eds), Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, pp. 723–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupont, R.M., Jernigan, T.L., Gillin, J.C. et al. (1989 December) Brain morphometric changes in schizophrenia and bipolar illness. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of ACNP, Maui, Hawaii.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falkai, P. and Bogerts, B. (1986) Cell loss in the hippocampus of schizophrenics. Eur. Arch. Psychiatry Neurol. Sci., 236, 154–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Falkai, P., Bogerts, B. and Rozumek, M. (1988) Limbic pathology in schizophrenia: The entorhinal region — A morphometric study. Biol. Psychiatry, 24, 515–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, I. (1982) Schizophrenia and late maturational brain changes in man. Psychopharmacol. Bull., 18, 29–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, I. (1982/83) Schizophrenia: Caused by a fault in programmed synaptic elimination during adolescence? J. Psychiatr. Res., 17, 319–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fisman, M. (1975) The brain stem in psychosis. Br. J. Psychiatry, 126, 414–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hauser, P., Dauphinais, I.D. Berrettini, W., et al. (1989) Corpus callosum dimensions measured by magnetic resonance imaging in bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia. Biol. Psychiatry, 26, 659–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath, R.G., Franklin, D.E., Walker, C.F. and Keating, J.W. (1982) Cerebellar vermal atrophy in psychiatric patients. Biol. Psychiatry, 17, 569–83.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, R.E. and Dobscha, S.K. (1989) Cortical pruning and the development of schizophrenia: A computer model. Schizophr. Bull., 15, 477–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huttenlocher, P.R. (1979) Synaptic density in human frontal cortex — Developmental changes and effects of aging. Brain Res., 163, 195–205.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Illowsky, B.P., Juliano, D.M., Bigelow, L.B. and Weinberger, D.R. (1988) Stability of CT scan findings in schizophrenia: Results of an 8 year follow-up study. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, 51, 209–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jakob, H. and Beckmann, H. (1986) Prenatal-developmental disturbances in the limbic allocortex in schizophrenia. J. Neural Transm., 65, 303–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jellinger, K. (1985) Neuromorphological background of pathochemical studies in major psychoses. In Pathochemical Markers in Major Psychoses. H. Beckmann and P. Riederer (eds), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 1–23.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L. (1986) Anatomical and CT scan studies of psychiatric disorders. In American Handbook of Psychiatry. Volume VIII, P.A. Berger and H.K.H. Brodie (eds), Basic Books Inc., New York, pp. 213–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L. and Tallal, P. (1990) Late childhood changes in brain morphology observable with MRI. Dev. Med. Child Neurol., 32, 379–85.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L., Trauner, D.A. Hesselink, J.R. and Tallal, P.A. (1991a) Maturation of human cerebrum observed in vivo during adolescence. Brain, 114, 2037–49.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L., Zisook, S., Heaton, R.K. et al. (1991b) MR abnormalities in lenticular nuclei and cerebral cortex in schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 881–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L., Zatz, L.M., Moses, J.A. and Berger, P.A. (1982a) Computed tomography in schizophrenics and normal volunteers: I. Fluid volume. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 39, 765–70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jernigan, T.L., Zatz, L.M., Moses, J.A. and Cardellino, J.P. (1982b) Computed tomography in schizophrenics and normal volunteers: II. Cranial asymmetry. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 39, 771–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeste, D.V. and Lohr, J.B. (1989) Hippocampal pathologic findings in schizophrenia. A morphometric study. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 46, 1019–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, E.C., Owens, D.G.C., Bydder, G.M., et al. (1989a) The spectrum of structural brain changes in schizophrenia: Age of onset as a predictor of cognitive and clinical impairments and their cerebral correlates. Psychol. Med., 19, 91–103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, E.C., Owens, D.G.C., Crow, T.J., et al. (1989b) Temporal lobe structure as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance in schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, 52, 736–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelsoe, J.R., Cadet, J.L., Pickar, D. and Weinberger, D.R. (1988) Quantitative neuroanatomy in schizophrenia: A controlled magnetic resonance imaging study. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 45, 533–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kemali, D., Maj, M., Galderisi, S. et al. (1989) Ventricle-to-brain ratio in schizophrenia: A controlled follow-up study. Biol. Psychiatry, 26, 753–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kovelman, J.A. and Scheibel, A.B. (1984) A neurohistological correlate of schizophrenia. Biol. Psychiatry, 19, 1601–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lippmann, S., Manshadi, M., Baldwin, H. et al. (1982) Cerebellar vermis dimensions on computerized tomographic scans of schizophrenic and bipolar patients. Am. J. Psychiatry, 139, 667–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lohr, J.B. and Jeste, D.V. (1986) Cerebellar pathology in schizophrenia? A neuronometric study. Biol. Psychiatry, 21, 865–75.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luchins, D.J. and Meltzer, H.Y. (1983) A blind controlled study of occipital cerebral asymmetry in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res., 10, 87–95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luchins, D.J., Weinberger, D.R. and Wyatt, R.J. (1979a) Anomalous lateralization associated with a milder form of schizophrenia. Am. J. Psychiatry, 136, 1598–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luchins, D.J., Weinberger, D.R. and Wyatt, R.J. (1979b) Schizophrenia: Evidence of a subgroup with reversed cerebral asymmetry. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 36, 1309–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathew, R.J., Partain, C.L., Prakash, R. et al. (1985) A study of the septum pellucidum and corpus callosum in schizophrenia with MR imaging. Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 72, 414–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. (1989) Schizophrenia as a progressive disorder: Relations to EEG, CT, neuropathological and other evidence. Prog. Neurobiol., 33, 17–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nasrallah, H.A., Olson, S.C., McCalley-Whitters, M. et al. (1986) Cerebral ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia: A preliminary follow-up study. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 43, 157–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieto, D. and Escobar, A. (1972) Major psychoses. In Pathology of the Nervous System. J. Minkler (ed), McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 2654–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen, M.J., Lewis, S.W. and Murray, R.M. (1988) Obstetric complications and schizophrenia: A computed tomographic study. Psychol Med., 18, 331–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pakkenberg, B. (1987) Post-mortem study of chronic schizophrenic brains. Br. J. Psychiatry, 151, 744–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reveley, A.M., Reveley, M.A., Clifford, C.A. and Murray, R.M. (1982) Cerebral ventricular size in twins discordant for schizophrenia. Lancet, 1, 540–1.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reveley, M.A. and Reveley, A.M. (1987) Hat size in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 673–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, G.W. and Bruton, C.J. (1990) Notes from the graveyard: Neuropathology and schizophrenia. Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol., 16, 3–16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, G.W., Colter, N., Lofthouse, R., Bogerts, B., Zech, M. and Crow, T.J. (1986) Gliosis in schizophrenia: A survey. Biol. Psychiatry, 21, 1043–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, G.W. Colter, N., Lofthouse, R. et al. (1987) Is there gliosis in schizophrenia? Investigation of the temporal lobe. Biol. Psychiatry, 22, 1459–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R. and Bigelow, L.B. (1972) Quantitative brain measurements in chronic schizophrenia. Br. J. Psychiatry, 121, 259–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, A., Stratta, P., D’Albenzio, L. et al. (1990) Reduced temporal lobe areas in schizophrenia: Preliminary evidence from a controlled multiplanar magnetic resonance imaging study. Biol. Psychiatry, 27, 61–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheibel, A.B. and Kovelman, J.A. (1981) Disorientation of the hippocampal pyramidal cell and its processes in the schizophrenic patient. Biol Psychiatry, 16, 101–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulsinger, F., Parnas, J., Petersen, E.T. et al. (1984) Cerebral ventricular size in the offspring of schizophrenic mothers: A preliminary study. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 41, 602–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, S.C., Koller, M., Kishore, P.R. et al. (1982) Abnormal scans in young schizophrenics. Psychopharmacol Bull., 18, 163–4.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, S.C., Koller, M.M., Kishore, P.R. et al. (1983a) Ventricular enlargement in teenage patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Am. J. Psychiatry, 140, 1592–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, S.C., Siniocrope, P., Kishore, P. and Friedel, R.O. (1983b) Treatment response and ventricular brain enlargement in young schizophrenic patients. Psychopharmacol. Bull., 19, 510–12.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarcz, R. and Meldrum, B. (1985) Excitatory aminoacid antagonists provide a therapeutic approach to neurological disorders. Lancet, 2, 140–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, R.C. and Weinberger, D.R. (1986) X-ray computerized tomography studies in schizophrenia: A review and synthesis. In Handbook of Schizophrenia. Volume 1: The Neurology of Schizophrenia. H.A. Nasrallah and D.R. Weinberger (eds), Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 207–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G.N. and Iacono, W.G. (1986) Lateral ventricular size in schizophrenia and choice of control group. Lancet, 1, 1450.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G.N., Iacono, W.G., Moreau, M. et al. (1988) Choice of comparison group and findings of computerised tomography in schizophrenia. Br. J. Psychiatry, 153, 667–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.C, Baumgartner, R., Ravichandran, G.K. et al. (1987) Cortical atrophy and white matter density in the brains of schizophrenics and clinical response to neuroleptics. Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 75, 11–19.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, J.R. (1982) Neuropathology of schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 39, 1131–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, J.R. and Casanova, M.F. (1988) Is there a neuropathology of schizophrenia? Biol. Psychiatry, 24, 123–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, J.R. and Waldmon, I.N. (1987) Hat size in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suddath, R.L., Casanova, M.F., Goldberg, T.E., et al. (1989) Temporal lobe pathology in schizophrenia: A quantitative magnetic resonance imaging study. Am. J. Psychiatry, 146, 464–72.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suddath, R.L., Christison, G.W., Torrey, E.F. et al. (1990) Anatomical abnormalities in the brains of monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia. N. Eng. J. Med., 322(12), 789–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, Y., Hazama, H., Kawahara, R. and Kobayashi, K. (1981) Computerized tomography of the brain in schizophrenic patients: A controlled study. Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 63, 191–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uematsu, M. and Kaiya, H. (1989) Midsagittal cortical pathomorphology of schizophrenia: A magnetic resonance imaging study. Psychiatry Res., 30, 11–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vita, A., Sacchetti, E., Valvassori, G. and Cazzullo, C.L. (1988) Brain morphology in schizophrenia: A 2-to 5-year CT scan follow-up study. Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 78, 618–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, D.R. (1984) Computed tomography (CT) findings in schizophrenia: Speculation on the meaning of it all. J. Psychiatr. Res., 18, 477–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, D.R. (1987) Implications of normal brain development for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 660–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, D.R., DeLisi, L.E., Perman, G.P. et al. (1982) Computed tomography in schizophreniform disorder and other acute psychiatric disorders. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 39, 778–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, D.R., Wagner, R.L. and Wyatt, R.J. (1983) Neuropathological studies of schizophrenia: A selective review. Schizophr. Bull., 9, 193–212.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger, D.R., Berman, K.F., Iadarola, M. et al. (1987) Hat size in schizophrenia. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 44, 672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, B.T. and Wolf, J. (1983) A reconsideration of the relation of ventricular enlargement to duration of illness in schizophrenia. Am. J. Psychiatry, 140, 1564–70.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, B.T., Yurgelun-Todd, D., Benes, F.M. et al. (1990) Progressive Ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia: Comparison to bipolar affective disorder and correlation with clinical course. Biol. Psychiatry, 27, 341–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jernigan, T.L. (1992). Neuroanatomical factors in schizophrenia. In: Kavanagh, D.J. (eds) Schizophrenia. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-4457-3_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-4457-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-412-38900-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-4457-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics