Schneiderian first rank symptoms and inferior parietal lobule cortical thickness in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia

Abstract

Inferior parietal lobule (IPL) is implicated in the pathogenesis of first rank symptoms (FRS) in schizophrenia by functional neuroimaging studies. However, the relationship between IPL cortical thickness and FRS is yet to be explored. In this study, cortical thickness of IPL was analyzed in antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients (total number = 51) with [FRS(+); N = 25] and those without FRS [FRS(−); N = 26] in comparison with group-matched healthy controls (N = 47). FRS(+) patients showed significant cortical thickness deficit in right IPL (specifically angular gyrus) in comparison with both FRS(−) patients (p = 0.005) and healthy controls (p = 0.0002); lack of difference on the left side might possibly be related to larger variance in healthy controls. Deficient cortical thickness involving IPL in FRS(+) schizophrenia patients adds further support to the role of internal monitoring system in the pathogenesis of FRS in schizophrenia.