Correlation Between Cortical Thickness Abnormalities of the Olfactory Sulcus and Olfactory Identification Disorder and Persistent Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Chinese Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia

Overview

Journal Schizophr Bull

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2024 Apr 5

PMID 38577952

Authors

Honghong Ren

Zongchang Li

Jinguang Li

Jun Zhou

Ying He

Chunwang Li

Qianjin Wang

Xiaogang Chen

Jinsong Tang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Hypothesis: Persistent auditory verbal hallucinations (pAVHs) and olfactory identification impairment are common in schizophrenia (SCZ), but the neuroimaging mechanisms underlying both pAVHs and olfactory identification impairment are unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether pAVHs and olfactory identification impairment in SCZ patients are associated with changes in cortical thickness.

Study Design: In this study, cortical thickness was investigated in 78 SCZ patients with pAVHs (pAVH group), 58 SCZ patients without AVHs (non-AVH group), and 83 healthy controls (HC group) using 3T magnetic resonance imaging. The severity of pAVHs was assessed by the Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale. Olfactory identification deficits were assessed using the Odor Stick Identification Test for Japanese (OSIT-J). In addition, the relationship between the severity of pAVHs and olfactory identification disorder and cortical thickness abnormalities was determined.

Study Results: Significant reductions in cortical thickness were observed in the right medial orbital sulcus (olfactory sulcus) and right orbital sulcus (H-shaped sulcus) in the pAVH group compared to both the non-AVH and HC groups (P < .003, Bonferroni correction). Furthermore, the severity of pAVHs was found to be negatively correlated with the reduction in cortical thickness in the olfactory sulcus and H-shaped sulcus. Additionally, a decrease in cortical thickness in the olfactory sulcus showed a positive correlation with the OSIT-J scores (P < .05, false discovery rate correction).

Conclusions: Cortical thickness abnormalities in the olfactory sulcus may be a common neuroimaging mechanism for pAVHs and olfactory identification deficits in SCZ patients.

Citing Articles

Inter- and intra-hemispheric lateralization alterations in auditory verbal hallucinations of Schizophrenia: insights from resting-state functional connectivity.

Li J, He J, Ren H, Li Z, Ma X, Yuan L Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2025; .

PMID: 39751656 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01955-0.

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