Comparison of psychological symptoms and levels of consciousness in individuals incidentally detected with cavum septum pellucidum and cavum vergae in the emergency department

Aim: Psychological disorders are significant health issues, and that is why they should receive early diagnosis just like physiological diseases. Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and cavum vergae (CV) are thought to be indicators of neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric disorders. The relationship between CSP and neuropsychological functions is typically studied in patient groups with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and neurodevelopmental syndromes. There is insufficient information on how to approach individuals incidentally detected with CSP. This study aims to compare the levels of psychological symptoms and consciousness in individuals with detected CSP. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted between December 15, 2022, and June 30, 2023, at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara University. All patients between the ages of 18 to 65 who underwent brain computed tomography (CT) for any reason and did not have exclusion criteria were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of CSP in their CT images. Those who provided written and verbal consent were called for a follow-up examination one month later, where demographic assessment, neurological examination, consciousness, and psychological evaluation tests were conducted, and the data were statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 52 patients were included in the study, with 26 having CSP and 26 not having CSP. Among those with CSP, 13 were male and 13 were female, and among those without CSP, 13 were male and 13 were female. The age of CSP-positive patients included in the study was determined to be 48.1 ± 13.3, while the age of CSP-negative patients was 40.1 ± 13.3. Those with CSP had significantly more obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p = 0.012) and significantly lower smoking prevalence (p = 0.001). In the three-group evaluation based on the presence of cavum vergae (CV) alongside CSP, the cavum septum pellucidum et vergae (CSPV) group had significantly more obsessive-compulsive symptoms (p = 0.043) and the isolated CSP group had significantly higher psychotic symptoms (p = 0.029). Conclusion: In patients with CSP, a significant increase was observed in obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, and in the subgroup assessment, the isolated CSP group showed significant elevation in terms of psychotic symptoms. Keywords: Cavum septum pellucidum et vergae, emergency department, mental illness, brain computed tomography