An Investigation of Morphometric Changes in the Lateral Ventricles of Schizophrenic Subjects

We present results of morphometric analysis of the lateral ventricles of a group of schizophrenic and control subjects to investigate possible shape differences associated with schizophrenia. Our results show shape changes localised to three regions : the temporal horn (its tip near the amygdala, and along its body near the parahippocampal fissure), the central part of the lateral ventricles around the corpus callosum, and the tip of the anterior horn in the region of the frontal lobe. The differences in the temporal and anterior horns are in regions close to structures thought to be implicated in schizophrenia. The changes observed are the most significant changes (p < 10−13) in shape parameters calculated using a 3D statistical shape descriptor (point distribution model). Corresponding points on the surface of the ventricles in the training set were obtained using an transportation-based method to match high curvature points.