Abstract
Subcortical structures play key roles in cognition, emotion, volition, and high‐order executive functions. Brain lateralization is related to human psycho‐behavioral characteristics. The ENIGMA Consortium identified subcortical regional volumes that are different between patients with schizophrenia and controls, across 15 cohorts, and ordered them by effect sizes. Using a large‐scale data set of Japanese individuals, we replicated the results reported by the ENIGMA Consortium, and demonstrated a schizophrenia‐specific leftward asymmetry for pallidum volume. It is, however, not yet clear whether similar results are found across countries, whether the pallidal volumetric asymmetry is associated with schizophrenia symptoms, and whether these phenomena may be seen in first‐episode psychosis. Through the ACMP Consortium, we will be provided with T1‐weighted MRI images of patients with chronic and first‐episode schizophrenia as well as healthy controls from participating institutions. Clinical data, including symptom severity, will also be provided. Imaging data will be processed using FreeSurfer software to calculate subcortical regional volumes. Mega‐analyses will be performed to measure overall effects. It is beneficial to focus on Asian people, as residents in Asian regions share relatively similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This study is expected to elucidate novel brain morphological mechanisms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
