White matter correlates of the disorganized speech dimension in schizophrenia.

White matter correlates of the disorganized speech dimension in schizophrenia. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2016 Dec 28;: Authors: Viher PV, Stegmayer K, Giezendanner S, Federspiel A, Bohlhalter S, Wiest R, Strik W, Walther S Abstract Disorganized speech is related to functional abnormalities in schizophrenia. To test the association between formal thought disorders (FTDs) and white matter microstructure, we applied a behavioral rating and diffusion tensor imaging in 61 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The Bern Psychopathology Scale was used to rate the dimension of language abnormalities ranging from negative FTDs, basically unaltered speech, to positive FTDs. Tract-based spatial statistics indicated increased fractional anisotropy in left hemispheric pathways of the language system in patients with negative FTDs. Thus, altered white matter properties in relevant fiber tracts may represent vulnerability to specific formal thought disorders. PMID: 28032254 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Source Type: research