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The visual cortex in schizophrenia: alterations of gyrification rather than cortical thickness—a combined cortical shape analysis

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Abstract

In light of bottom-up models of disrupted cognition in schizophrenia, visual processing deficits became a key feature for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However, morphometric studies focusing on the visual cortex are limited. Thus, the present study sought to provide a combined cortical shape analysis (cortical thickness, folding) of visual areas, which were implicated to be involved in disturbed visual processing in schizophrenia. A group of 72 patients with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and 72 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were included. All participants underwent high-resolution T1-weighted MRI scans on a 1.5-T scanner. Cortical thickness and mean curvature of the V1, V2 and V5/MT+ visual cortex were estimated using an automated computerized algorithm (Freesurfer Software). A GLM controlling for the effect of age was used to estimate differences of cortical shape parameters between the study groups. Significantly increased gyrification of the V1, V2 and the V5/MT+ visual area bilaterally was detected. Conversely, cortical thickness was reduced in patients with schizophrenia only for the V5/MT+ area. This study is the first providing direct in vivo evidence for a disturbed cortical shape of central visual areas in schizophrenia. The present findings of hypergyria are highly indicative for a disrupted corticogenesis of these visual key regions and might constitute a relevant anatomical basis for visual processing deficits in schizophrenia.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF Grant 01GW0740 and the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research of the University of Jena (IZKF).

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All of the authors reported no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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Schultz, C.C., Wagner, G., Koch, K. et al. The visual cortex in schizophrenia: alterations of gyrification rather than cortical thickness—a combined cortical shape analysis. Brain Struct Funct 218, 51–58 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-011-0374-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-011-0374-1

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