Magnetic resonance imaging study of corpus callosum abnormalities in patients with different subtypes of schizophrenia

Background. Reductions in the size of the corpus callosum (CC) have been described for schizophrenia patients, but little is known about the possible regional differences in schizophrenia subtypes (paranoid, disorganised, undifferentiated, residual).  Methods. We recruited 58 chronically schizophrenic patients with different subtypes, and 31 age-and-gender matched healthy controls. The callosum was extracted from a midsagittal slice from T1 weighted magnetic resonance images, and areas of the total CC, its five subregions, CC length and total brain volume were compared between schizophrenia subtypes and controls. Five subregions were approximately matched to fibre pathways from cortical regions.  Results. Schizophrenia patients had reduced CC total area and length when compared with controls. Disorganised and undifferentiated schizophrenics had a smaller prefrontal area, while there was no significant difference for the paranoid and residual groups. The premotor/supplementary motor area was smaller in all schizophrenia subtypes. The motor area was smaller only in the disorganised group. A smaller sensory area was found in all subtypes except the residual group. Parietal, temporal and occipital areas were smaller in the paranoid and undifferentiated groups. Total brain volume was smaller in all schizophrenia subtypes compared with controls, but did not reach statistical significance.  Conclusion. These findings suggest that the heterogeneity of symptoms may lead to the different CC morphological characteristics in schizophrenia subtypes

Age-related volumetric changes in pancreas: a stereological study on computed tomography

(1) To explore age-related changes in the volume of the pancreas on computed tomography (CT) images calculated by the method of Cavalieri. (2) To investigate the relationship between these changes and body mass index (BMI), gender, abdominal diameter, abdominal skinfold thickness. We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT examinations of 272 adults between the ages of 20-88 years. There were seven groups of patients, with 40 patients (only ninth decade has 32 patients) for each decade. Pancreatic volume (PV) was found to be 63.68 +/- A 15.08 cm(3) in females, 71.75 +/- A 15.99 cm(3) in males (mean value of both groups, 67.71 +/- A 16.03 cm(3)). Maximum value of PV was found in the fourth decade in females, males and also for mean of both groups (73.50, 84.21 and 78.85 cm(3), respectively). PV remained constant until similar to 60 years of age. Thereafter, it gradually decreased in both genders. There was a negative correlation between PV and age (p < 0.001, r: -0.473). We found positive correlation between PV and BMI, sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), transverse abdominal diameter (TAD), anterior subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses (ASAT), posterior subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses (PSAT), bilateral subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses (BSAT). Quantitative data may allow clinicians to better estimate age-related PV changes and help them in decision making

Comparison of cord blood ferritin levels of small for gestational age and appropriate-for-gestational-age newborns

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the haematological parameters in paired maternal and cord blood samples of full-term appropriate-for-gestational-age and small-for-gestational-age newborns

Variations in the intracranial vertebrobasilar system

Aim The aim of our study was to demonstrate some possible variations in the vertebrobasilar system (VBS) in the Turkish population and to compare our results with the literature

Assessment of pulmonary functions and anthropometric measurements in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objectives. The aims of this study were to compare pulmonary function tests of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) versus healthy women, and to investigate correlations between pulmonary function tests and anthropometric measurements of them

Morphometry, asymmetry and variations of cerebral sulci on superolateral surface of cerebrum in autopsy cases

The cerebral sulci are known as main microanatomical borders that serve as a gateway and surgical passage to reach the ventricles or to the deeper lesions. It is a matter of curiosity that whether there is a convergence between the morphological asymmetry and the functional asymmetry, and also its significance in surgery. The aim of this study is make morphometric measurements and evaluate asymmetry of several sulci on the lateral aspects of the cerebrum in regard to main sulci and related reference key points

Nesfatin-1 ve yaygın anksiyete bozukluğu arasında ilişki var mı?

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı yaygın anksiyete bozukluğu (YAB)’nun patogenezinde nesfatin-1’in olası rolünü araştırmaktır. Yöntem: Bu çalışmada 40 YAB’lu hasta ile yaş ve BMI ile eşleştirilmiş 42 sağlıklı kontrol’un plasma nesfatin-1 düzeyleri ölçüldü. Anksiyete şiddeti Hamilton Anksiyete Derecelendirme Ölçeği (HAM-A) ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Hasta ve kontrol grupları arasında nesfatin-1 düzeyinde anlamlı bir farklılık yoktur. Ortalama serum nesfatin-1 düzeyi yaş, hastalık süresi, BMI ve HAM-A skoru ile korelasyon göstermiyordu. Sonuç: Sonuçlarımız YAB‘nun nesfatin-1 ile ilişkili olduğunu desteklemiyor.Objective: The aim of the present study was to find out the possible role of nesfatin-1 in the pathogenesis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: In this study, we measured plasma nesfatin-1 levels in 40 GAD patients and 42 controls that were matched by age and BMI. The severity of anxiety was evaluated with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the nesfatin-1 levels between patient and control groups. The mean serum nesfatin-1 level did not show any correlation with age, duration of illness, BMI, HAM-A scores in the patient and control groups. Conclusion: Our results do not support that nesfatin-1 is associated with GAD

Serum BDNF levels correlate with hippocampal volumes in first episode, medication-free depressed patients

22nd Congress of the European-College-of-Neuropsychopharmacology -- SEP 12-16, 2009 -- Istanbul, TURKEYWOS: 000270312500369European Coll Neuropsychopharmaco