Abnormal cortical folding patterns within Broca's area in schizophrenia: evidence from structural MRI

We compared cortical folding patterns between patients with schizophrenia and demographically-matched healthy controls in prefrontal and temporal regions of interest. Using the Freesurfer (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu) cortical surface-based reconstruction methodology, we indirectly ascertained cortical displacement and convolution, together, by measuring the degree of metric distortion required to optimally register cortical folding patterns to an average template. An area within the pars triangularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area) showed significantly reduced metric distortion in the patient group relative to the control group (p=0.0352). We discuss these findings in relation to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis and language dysfunction in schizophrenia.