Anterior cingulate volumes in schizophrenia: A systematic review and a meta-analysis of MRI studies

Baiano, M.; David, A.; Versace, A.; Churchill, R.; Balestrieri, M.; Brambilla, P.

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2007.02.012

« Previous Next »Schizophrenia Research
Volume 93, Issue 1 , Pages 1-12, July 2007

Anterior cingulate volumes in schizophrenia: A systematic review and a meta-analysis of MRI studies

M. Baiano
- Department of Pathology and Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Udine, Italy
- InterUniversity Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Udine and University of Verona, Italy
A. David
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Section, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
A. Versace
- InterUniversity Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Udine and University of Verona, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Public Health, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Section, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
R. Churchill
- Health Services Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK
M. Balestrieri
- Department of Pathology and Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Udine, Italy
- InterUniversity Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Udine and University of Verona, Italy
P. Brambilla
- Department of Pathology and Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Udine, Italy
- InterUniversity Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Udine and University of Verona, Italy
- Scientific Institute ‘E. Medea’, Italy
- Corresponding author. Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Cattedra di Psichiatria, Policlinico Universitario, Via Colugna 50, 33100 Udine, Italy. Tel.: +39 0432 55 9494; fax: +39 0432 54 5526.

Received 7 April 2006; received in revised form 12 February 2007; accepted 16 February 2007. published online 02 April 2007.

Abstract

Objectives

Several MRI studies have investigated the anterior cingulate in schizophrenia, as this is a key region for emotional processing and higher executive performances. A systematic review of structural MRI studies and a meta-analysis were conducted to explore whether anterior cingulate volumes are abnormal in patients with schizophrenia.

Method

A systematic search strategy was used to identify eligible MRI studies. Thereafter, a meta-analysis was carried out by using a random effect model. Also, a meta-regression analysis was used to assess the influence of age, gender and slice thickness on effect sizes.

Results

The meta-analysis was performed on seven studies. These results showed that the anterior cingulate volumes were significantly reduced in patients compared to healthy controls. Significant heterogeneity between these studies was observed. The meta-regression demonstrated that the effect size was significantly related only to slice thickness.

Conclusions

Our work confirmed the presence of abnormally reduced anterior cingulate volumes in schizophrenia. However, several methodological issues limited the interpretation of these findings. Among these were different MR acquisition parameters and the small size of the sample, which was mostly composed of chronic patients. Future MRI studies should be planned to better understand the functional expression of anterior cingulate structural abnormalities.

Keywords: Anterior cingulate, Schizophrenia, Magnetic resonance imaging, Neuroimaging