Are there changes in brain structure and function in schizophrenia?
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans confirm that there are abnormalities in both the patterns of activity of the living brain and small changes in brain structure in people with schizophrenia. These findings have been extended in the past six years and it seems likely that there are degenerative changes occurring during the illness. However, it is still not quite clear whether they are a cause of the disease or a result of it. One frequent change is an increase in the size of the fluid-filled spaces in the brain, called ventricles, with a corresponding reduction in grey matter in the temporal and frontal cortex, plus changes in the hippocampus. Reduction in brain volume may not significantly affect memory or intelligence, but has been associated with some symptoms of schizophrenia, particularly negative symptoms. Unfortunately, these changes are too small to be used reliably in diagnosis. Positron Emission Tomography scanning allows pictures to
