HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Martí-Bonmatí, L. Articles by Sanjuán, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Martí-Bonmatí, L. Articles by Sanjuán, J.

Chronic Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenic Patients: MR Analysis of the Coincidence between Functional and Morphologic Abnormalities¹

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Dr Peset University Hospital, Avda Gaspar Aguilar 90, 46017 Valencia, Spain (L.M., C.P.); BET Group, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain (J.J.L., G.G., D.M., M.R.); and Psychiatric Unit, University of Valencia School of Medicine, Valencia, Spain (E.J.A., J.S.). Received April 26, 2006; revision requested June 23; revision received August 7; accepted September 7; final version accepted December 4. Supported by Spanish grant FIS P.I. 2005, PI 052332 and IM3 (Spanish National Network, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, G03/185). Address correspondence to L.M. (e-mail: Luis.Marti{at}uv.es).

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate if functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging abnormalities associated with auditory emotional stimuli coexist with focal brain reductions in schizophrenic patients with chronic auditory hallucinations.

Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained and all participants gave written informed consent. Twenty-one right-handed male patients with schizophrenia and persistent hallucinations (started to hear hallucinations at a mean age of 23 years ± 10, with 15 years ± 8 of mean illness duration) and 10 healthy paired participants (same ethnic group [white], age, and education level [secondary school]) were studied. Functional echo-planar T2*-weighted (after both emotional and neutral auditory stimulation) and morphometric three-dimensional gradient-recalled echo T1-weighted MR images were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM2) software. Brain activation images were extracted by subtracting those with emotional from nonemotional words. Anatomic differences were explored by optimized voxel-based morphometry. The functional and morphometric MR images were overlaid to depict voxels statistically reported by both techniques. A coincidence map was generated by multiplying the emotional subtracted functional MR and volume decrement morphometric maps. Statistical analysis used the general linear model, Student t tests, random effects analyses, and analysis of covariance with a correction for multiple comparisons following the false discovery rate method.

Results: Large coinciding brain clusters (P < .005) were found in the left and right middle temporal and superior temporal gyri. Smaller coinciding clusters were found in the left posterior and right anterior cingular gyri, left inferior frontal gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus.

Conclusion: The middle and superior temporal and the cingular gyri are closely related to the abnormal neural network involved in the auditory emotional dysfunction seen in schizophrenic patients.

© RSNA, 2007