Prevalence of brain midline anomalies in patients with schizophrenia

Cavum septi pellucidi (CSP), cavum vergae (CV) and cavum veli interpositi (CVI) are neurodevelopmental anatomical anomalies found in the midline of the brain. These cavities recede between the seventh month of intranatal life and the second year of postnatal life, but it has been reported that CSP and CV, when they persist, seen more common in patients diagnosed with mood disorders and especially in the schizophrenia spectrum. In our study, we aimed to determine the midline cyst-like anomalies in the patient group diagnosed with schizophrenia and the healthy control group, and to evaluate the relationship between schizophrenia and the dimensions and classifications of anomalies. MR imaging of 252 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum and hospitalized in the Department of Mental Health and Diseases, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine between 01.01.2014 - 15.06.2020, and MR images of 260 healthy individuals underwent magnetic resonance imaging between the same dates in the Department of Radiology total of 512 were examined. In the control group, 224 CSP (195 normal variant CSP, 29 large CSP), 5 CV and 85 CVI (60 large type CVI, 25 small type CVI) were detected in the patient group, while 231 CSP (182 normal variant CSP, 49 large CSP), 10 CV and 100 CVI (85 large type CVI, 15 small type CVI) were detected. In statistical analyzes, a significant relationship was found between all types of CSP and schizophrenia, and between large-type CVI and schizophrenia, but no significant relationship was found between CV and schizophrenia. In addition, widths of CSPs and highs of CVIs also had a significant relationship with schizophrenia. There is a relationship between midline cystic anomalies and schizophrenia, and this relationship supports the neurodevelopmental etiology of schizophrenia. Keywords: Cavum septi pellucidi, cavum vergae, cavum veli interpositi, schizophrenia spectrum, magnetic resonance imaging