Progressive Brain Volume Changes and the Clinical Course of Schizophrenia in Men

Abstract

NEUROIMAGING studies have established that schizophrenia is associated with brain dysmorphology, including increased ventricular and sulcal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes¹ and volume deficits in cortical gray matter (but not white matter), particularly in temporolimbic and frontal lobes.^2,3 Absence of correlation between these brain volume abnormalities and illness duration,² as well as the presence of these abnormalities at illness onset,^4-6 support the view that brain dysmorphology in schizophrenia reflects a neurodevelopmental insult and may not be progressive.⁷