Hippocampal
Volume Assessment in Schizophrenia – Experience from the Department of Psychiatry in
Brno
Kašpárek T.1, Přikryl R.1, Kučerová H.1, Schwarz D.2, Češková E.1, Krupa P.3
Psychiatrická klinika LF MU a FN, Brno, přednosta prof.MUDr. E. Češková, CSc.1 Ústav biomedicínského inženýrství VUT, Brno2 Klinika zobrazovacích metod LF MU, Brno3 |
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Summary:
Hippocampal reduction as assessed with MRI volumetry is present in schizophrenia. The reduction
is a recognized endophenotype; it is a trait marker, a feature present also in healthy relatives of
schizophrenia patients, and it is under genetic and environmental influence. The clinical relationships
are not clear, as well as its relations to cognitive functions in schizophrenia. The reason for
such inconsistencies may lay in the methodology of volumetry, in differences in study populations,
statistical power, clinical and cognitive parameters used. We present the results of our studies of
hippocampal volume and memory dysfunction in the first episode schizophrenia men. Although the
sensitivity and validity of the methodology increased, there were found no significant relations between
memory and hippocampal volume. Similar results were published in the literature and might
reflect specific features of the first episode schizophrenia and the volumetry methodology.
Key words:
volumetry, memory, hippocampus, schizophrenia.
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