Subcortical and limbic structures and P300 in schizophrenia

The correlations between the volumes of the caudate nucleus, putamen, amygdala, and hippocampus, on the one hand, and the P300 amplitude and latency of auditory evoked potentials, on the other hand, were studied in 14 schizophrenics. Significant positive correlations were found between the parameters of the late cognitive potential P300 (predominantly in the left hemisphere) and the caudate nucleus and putamen volumes, as well as between the right amygdala volume and the P300 amplitude in the left temporal region. The results testify again to the role of changes in the left hemisphere in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and pose the question of the structural and functional features of left frontosubcortical communications. © 2005 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".