Sex differences and symptom based gray and white matter densities in schizophrenia

Abstract

We investigated the association between densities in gray matter (GMD) and white matter (WMD) phenotypes and positive (PS) and negative (NS) symptoms in 40 schizophrenia patients (SZ). Cerebral densities were compared with 41 normal controls (NC) matched for age and sex using voxel-based morphometry on T1-3T-MRI. We found decreased GMD in the anterior cingulate-temporal gyri and increased GMD in the posterior cingulate gyrus in SZ relative to NC. WMD reduction was found in the inferior frontal and posterior parietal regions in SZ relative to NC. GMD in the insula/caudate correlated with PS, while GMD in the middle frontal gyrus and cerebellum correlated with NS. WMD in the middle frontal and superior frontal regions correlated with PS and NS respectively. Invers correlations were found between GMD in the parietal lobe and the uvula with PS. An inverse correlation was found between GMD in the cerebellum and NS. Inverse correlation was also found in the WMD of the occipital region and superior frontal regions with PS and NS respectively. Comparison between male groups revealed decreased total GMD in male patients, while no differences were observed between female groups. These correlational findings suggest that symptom profiles in schizophrenia show unique GM/WM phenotypes.

Keywords

• schizophrenia, positive and negative symptoms, gray and white matter density, voxel based morphometry
• schizophrenia
• VBM
• negative symptoms
• positive symptoms
• MRI