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Regional gray matter reduction and theory of mind deficit in the early phase of schizophrenia: a voxel‐based morphometric study
Author(s) -
Herold R.,
Feldmann Á.,
Simon M.,
Tényi T.,
Kövér F.,
Nagy F.,
Varga E.,
Fekete S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01297.x
Subject(s) - orbitofrontal cortex , gray (unit) , voxel , psychology , voxel based morphometry , theory of mind , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , neuroscience , audiology , psychiatry , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , prefrontal cortex , white matter , cognition , nuclear medicine , radiology
Objective: We tested the association between theory of mind (ToM) performance and structural changes in the brains of patients in the early course of schizophrenia. Method: Voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) data of 18 patients with schizophrenia were compared with those of 21 controls. ToM skills were assessed by computerized faux pas (FP) tasks. Results: Patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse in FP tasks than healthy subjects. VBM revealed significantly reduced gray matter density in certain frontal, temporal and subcortical regions in patients with schizophrenia. Poor FP performance of schizophrenics correlated with gray matter reduction in the left orbitofrontal cortex and right temporal pole. Conclusion: Our data indicate an association between poor ToM performance and regional gray matter reduction in the left orbitofrontal cortex and right temporal pole shortly after the onset of schizophrenia.