The estimation of cerebral asymmetries in schizophrenia by the Cavalieri principle

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate hemispheric asymmetry in patients with schizophrenia using a cheap, simple stereologic method on the basis of standard CT scans of the brain.

METHODS: To demonstrate hemispheric asymmetry, standard CT scans of 30 schizophrenic patients(14 males, 16 females) were compared with 39(13 male, 26 female) control subjects at Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey in 2005. Brain volumes were investigated by using a cheap, simple stereologic method, namely, Cavalieri.

RESULTS: In patients with schizophrenia, we found that as age increases, right and left hemisphere volumes decrease. However, in the control group there was no relationship found between age and hemisphere volumes. In the control group, the left hemisphere was significantly bigger in males compared to females. There was a significant difference in both right and left hemisphere volumes between the control group and the schizophrenic group. In the schizophrenic group, a significant difference was observed in right hemisphere volumes between genders (p=0.002), while there was no difference in the control group. There was a difference in left hemisphere volumes between genders in both groups. Right and left hemispheric volumes of the schizophrenic group were smaller than those of control group.

CONCLUSION: Cerebral asymmetry is an arguable subject for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The method that we used in this study will be useful in estimating hemispheric volumes.