Patterns of Cortical Thickness and Surface Area Alterations in Female Inpatients With Schizophrenia
10.22802/jksbtp.2025.31.3.77
- Author:
Jungwon JOO
;
Jeonghwan LEE
;
Siekyeong KIM
- Publication Type:Original Articles
- From:
Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Therapies in Psychiatry
2025;31(3):77-87
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:This study aimed to examine the surface-based parameters, specifically cortical thickness and surface area, in female patients with schizophrenia admitted to a university hospital. By comparing these parameters with agematched healthy controls, we sought to explore their involvement in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and potential as biological markers.
Methods:We analyzed brain imaging data from 49 female patients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls who scanned brain MRI at Chungbuk National University Hospital between January 2016 and June 2023. Cortical thickness and surface area were determined using FreeSurfer 7.3.0 based on 3T MRI scans.
Results:Cortical thickness showed a slight age-related decline but did not differ significantly between groups. In contrast, surface area exhibited significant group differences, particularly in the frontal and occipital lobes. These differences varied by age group, with younger healthy controls showing significantly larger surface areas than their schizophrenia counterparts, whereas this distinction was not observed in older participants.
Conclusions:Given the limitations of a small and heterogeneous schizophrenia sample, cortical thickness as a state marker, could not clearly reflect disease-specific effects. However, surface area, which is influenced by genetic and neurodevelopmental risk factors early in life, demonstrated significant group differences. In older controls, small surface area was similar to that observed in schizophrenia patients, suggesting that environmental factors related to neurodevelopmental issues may contribute to these differences.
