Schizophrenia and the inferior parietal lobule.

OBJECTIVE

Studies of the neuroanatomical localization of schizophrenia have not given sufficient attention to the inferior parietal lobule (IPL).

METHODS

A search of the medical literature was carried out for links between schizophrenia and the IPL.

RESULTS

Structural differences in the IPL in schizophrenia were reported by 10 recent neuroimaging studies, although the studies did not all agree with each other. Functional differences in the IPL in schizophrenia have been prominently reported in four areas: sensory integration, body image, concept of self, and executive function.

CONCLUSION

The IPL appears to be an important, but relatively neglected, component of the frontal-limbic-temporal-parietal neural network involved in the schizophrenia disease process. To encourage histopathological research of this area, the Stanley Medical Research Institute is making available a new collection of sucrose-fixed IPL tissue from 25 individuals with schizophrenia and 25 matched controls. Additional imaging and functional studies are needed to better define the network and role of the IPL.