TY - JOUR
T1 - Magnetic resonance imaging measurement of posterior fossa structures in schizophrenia
AU - Aylward, Elizabeth H.
AU - Reiss, Allan
AU - Barta, Patrick E.
AU - Tien, Allen
AU - Han, William
AU - Lee, James
AU - Pearlson, Godfrey D.
PY - 1994/10
Y1 - 1994/10
N2 - Objective: Previous research has yielded conflicting results regarding the hypothesis that structural abnormalities of the cerebellar vermis and other posterior fossa structures are associated with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to apply techniques of measuring posterior fossa structures from magnetic resonance imaging scans that have proven reliable in identifying structural abnormalities in other patient populations. Method: Midsagittal areas of cerebellar vermis and its subsections (anterior vermis, lobules VI-VII, and lobules VIII-X), brainstem (pons, medulla, and midbrain), and fourth ventricle, as well as intracranial area and cortical area, were measured. Subjects included 36 schizophrenic patients and 51 normal comparison subjects. Groups were matched on age, sex, race, and family socioeconomic status. Results: No significant group differences were detected for any posterior fossa structure. When corrected for intracranial area, fourth ventricle area was significantly larger in patients than in the comparison group. Fourth ventricle area was not, however, correlated with any measures of symptom severity. Conclusions: The size of posterior fossa structures is not abnormal in schizophrenia.
AB - Objective: Previous research has yielded conflicting results regarding the hypothesis that structural abnormalities of the cerebellar vermis and other posterior fossa structures are associated with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to apply techniques of measuring posterior fossa structures from magnetic resonance imaging scans that have proven reliable in identifying structural abnormalities in other patient populations. Method: Midsagittal areas of cerebellar vermis and its subsections (anterior vermis, lobules VI-VII, and lobules VIII-X), brainstem (pons, medulla, and midbrain), and fourth ventricle, as well as intracranial area and cortical area, were measured. Subjects included 36 schizophrenic patients and 51 normal comparison subjects. Groups were matched on age, sex, race, and family socioeconomic status. Results: No significant group differences were detected for any posterior fossa structure. When corrected for intracranial area, fourth ventricle area was significantly larger in patients than in the comparison group. Fourth ventricle area was not, however, correlated with any measures of symptom severity. Conclusions: The size of posterior fossa structures is not abnormal in schizophrenia.
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U2 - 10.1176/ajp.151.10.1448
DO - 10.1176/ajp.151.10.1448
M3 - Article
C2 - 8092338
AN - SCOPUS:0028068222
SN - 0002-953X
VL - 151
SP - 1448
EP - 1452
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 10
ER -