Straight gyrus morphology in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum patients

Previous studies on the straight gyrus have shown inconsistent results in first-episode schizophrenia. In the present study, straight gyrus morphometry in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum patients was investigated by using a region-of-interest methodology. 141 schizophrenia-spectrum patients and 81 healthy subjects were studied. Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans (1.5T) were obtained and images were analyzed by using BRAINS2. The main resulting measurements were straight gyrus gray matter volume and cortical surface area. Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders did not significantly differ from controls in the straight gyrus morphometric variables evaluated (p>0.115). There was neither significant group-by-side (p>0.199) or group-by-gender interaction (p>0.096). Clinical variables were not significantly related with straight gyrus morphology. Our results, based on a large and representative sample, do not confirm the presence of significant straight gyrus morphometric anomalies in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, after controlling for potential confounding variables. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.