Diffusion tensor imaging of frontal lobe white matter tracts in schizophrenia

• Main Authors: Shihabuddin Lina, Brickman Adam M, Mitelman Serge, Chu King-Wai, Newmark Randall, Torosjan Yuliya, Schoenknecht Peter, Buchsbaum Monte S, Haznedar M Mehmet, Hazlett Erin A, Ahmed Shabeer, Tang Cheuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2006-11-01
• Series: Annals of General Psychiatry
• Online Access: http://www.annals-general-psychiatry.com/content/5/1/19

<p>Abstract</p> <p>We acquired diffusion tensor and structural MRI images on 103 patients with schizophrenia and 41 age-matched normal controls. The vector data was used to trace tracts from a region of interest in the anterior limb of the internal capsule to the prefrontal cortex. Patients with schizophrenia had tract paths that were significantly shorter in length from the center of internal capsule to prefrontal white matter. These tracts, the anterior thalamic radiations, are important in frontal-striatal-thalamic pathways. These results are consistent with findings of smaller size of the anterior limb of the internal capsule in patients with schizophrenia, diffusion tensor anisotropy decreases in frontal white matter in schizophrenia and hypothesized disruption of the frontal-striatal-thalamic pathway system.</p>