Evidence of Reduced Temporolimbic Structure Volumes in Schizophrenia

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Abstract
To the Editor.— In the postmortem brain material of the Würzburg collection, Heckers et al1found only a subtle trend toward volume reduction of the total left hippocampal formation in schizophrenic patients (-6%,P=.187). There were no significant volume changes in the right hippocampus or the right and left amygdala. In the same collection, no differences in the volumes of the parahippocampal gyrus were found.2The authors believe the discrepancy with our previous findings of reduced hippocampal, amygdala, and parahippocampal gyrus volumes in schizophrenic persons are a result of methodologic shortcomings in our 1985 article.3However, the results obtained from the material of the Würzburg collection1,2are not only in contrast with our 1985 findings, they also refute six other postmortem studies4-9that gave planimetric evidence of reduced parahippocampal gyrus4,6,7or hippocampal5,8,9size in schizophrenic patients. Moreover, according to the declared