[Schizophrenia as a neurological condition caused by a failure in the lateralisation of the brain: macro and microscopic observations].

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmentally defined condition. Some of its salient symptomatology refers to language abnormalities that resemble an aphasic disorder. Recent studies suggest that brain structures that define language functions may be abnormally lateralized in schizophrenic patients.

AIMS: To review the medical literature for evidence of abnormalities of brain asymmetries in schizophrenic patients, and to discuss a new concept regarding the hierarchical organization of the cortex by interlinked minicolumns.

DEVELOPMENT: When reviewing the literature the limitation of applied techniques have to be taken into consideration. As of present, neuroimaging methods provide more credible data than those derived from autopsy series. Both neuroimaging and postmortem studies are consistent with the presence of a possible minicolumnopathy in schizophrenia. Minicolumns define a bias in corticocortical connections that throughout encephalization provide the opportunity for homologous cortical areas to become independent of each other. This new paradigm, derived from concepts of cortical modularity, sheds insights into the putative mechanisms of cerebral dominance and how they may be at fault in schizophrenia.

CONCLUSIONS: Although there are no pathognomonic findings in schizophrenia a considerable majority of studies make reference to the possible presence of abnormal cerebral dominance. If proven, the cadre of articles would suggest reevaluating our views in order to consider schizophrenia as a neurological disorder.