Voxel-based morphometry in schizophrenia: implications for neurodevelopmental connectivity models, cognition and affect.

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies have provided valuable data on the nature and distribution of gray and white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia relative to the whole brain. Most VBM studies have focused on chronic patients, but there are accumulating studies of first-episode schizophrenia and other high-risk groups such as first-degree relatives. This review outlines the evidence from VBM studies of both chronic and first-episode/high-risk groups. The most consistent reduction revealed in chronic patients is in the superior temporal cortex, and in first-episode/high-risk individuals, in frontal brain regions. These findings are reviewed in relation to complementary evidence for neurodevelopmental deviation, and functional associations with both neuroimaging and behavioral measures of general and social cognition.