帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍与嗅觉相关脑区结构变化关系的研究

目的利用基于体素的形态学分析（VBM）研究原发性帕金森病患者嗅觉相关脑区结构改变及其与嗅觉障碍之间的关系,探讨其作为早期诊断的可能性。方法应用“五味嗅觉测试液”对26例诊断明确的早期原发性帕金森病患者进行嗅觉功能检测,并与年龄、病程和病情严重程度[帕金森病统一评价量表（UPDRS）]进行相关分析。磁化准备快速梯度回波序列获取三维结构图像,SPM5软件后处理,通过配准、分割获得白质密度图像,经调试获得白质体积图像。结果帕金森病组患者嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值分别为0．66±0．84和2．41±0．74,显著高于对照组的-0．64±0．83和1．08±0．54（Z=4．455,P=0．000;t=4．898,P=0．000）。帕金森病组患者嗅觉功能与年龄（察觉阈值：n=0．199,P=0．330;识别阈值：n=0．256,P=0．207）、病程（察觉阈值：n=0．123,P=0．550;识别阈值：n=0．055,P=0．789）及UPDRSⅢ评分（察觉阈值：n=0．229,P=0．260;识别阈值：rs=0．379,P=0．056）无明显相关性;UPDRS总评分与嗅觉察觉阈值无相关性（rs=0．314,P=0．118）,但与嗅觉识别阈值呈正相关（n=0．397,P=0．045）。与对照组相比,原发性帕金森病组患者右侧枕叶（BA17～19区）、左侧扣带回后部（BA23,30,31区）、左侧枕叶（BA18,19区）和左侧中央旁小叶（BA3～5区）白质密度,以及双侧枕叶（BA17～19区）、左侧扣带回后部（BA23,30,31区）和左侧中央旁小叶（BA3～5区）白质体积均增加,且左侧扣带回后部白质密度增加与嗅觉识别阈值呈负相关（rs=0．496,P=0．010）。结论原发性帕金森病患者嗅觉功能明显减退,但与年龄及病程均无相关性。有嗅觉减退的早期帕金森病患者其嗅觉相关脑区,尤其是神经纤维通过的白质脑区存在明显的病理变化,可能提示帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍是中枢神经变性的结果。与此同时,VBM法作为一种客观分析方法,弥补了兴趣区分析法的缺点,可以广泛用于帕金森病或神经变性疾病的诊断分析。     

帕金森病患者的嗅觉改变

目的　研究中国散发性帕金森患者嗅觉改变的情况 ,初步探讨嗅觉检测在帕金森病诊断和鉴别诊断中的意义。方法　应用中国科学院半导体研究所的“五味嗅觉测试液”检测 5 0例散发性帕金森病患者、30名健康成人、30例其他神经系统疾病患者以及 7例非典型帕金森病患者 ,从嗅觉察觉阈值和识别阈值两方面比较各组的差异。结果　帕金森病患者的嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值分别为 1 5± 0 9、2 5± 0 7,明显高于健康人和神经系统疾病对照组 (P <0 0 5 )。帕金森病患者的嗅觉察觉阈值高于非典型性帕金森病患者 (0 9± 0 9) ,但差异未达显著性水平 (P =0 0 83) ,嗅觉识别阈值却显著高于非典型帕金森病患者 (1 9± 0 8)。将嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值两个指标结合起来分析 ,可使嗅觉检测诊断帕金森病的敏感度达到 74 0 % ,特异度达到 91 7%。结论　中国散发性帕金森病患者嗅觉功能有明显减退 ,全面客观的嗅觉检测对于帕金森病的筛查和早期诊断都具有十分重要的意义 ,嗅觉识别阈值对鉴别诊断帕金森病和非典型性帕金森病有一定的价值。     

特发性震颤与帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍的定量分析研究

目的检测特发性震颤(ET)与帕金森病(PD)患者的嗅觉功能,并探讨ET与PD的关系。方法应用中国科学院半导体研究所研制的五味嗅觉测试液检测30例ET、30例PD患者及30例健康对照组,从嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值两个方面比较各组的差异。结果 PD组的嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值均明显高于ET组和对照组(P<0.01),而ET组与对照组的嗅觉察觉阈值和嗅觉识别阈值差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论帕金森病有明显的嗅觉功能障碍,而特发性震颤无明显的嗅觉功能障碍,ET与PD可能是两种不同性质的疾病。     

帕金森病患者的嗅觉功能评价及其影响因素

目的探讨帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍的发生率和特点及其可能的影响因素。方法采用12项气味识别能力测试(12 Item odor identification test from Sniffin’Sticks,SS-12)对106例帕金森病患者和110名正常志愿者进行嗅觉评估,比较两组的嗅觉功能,分析年龄、性别、文化程度、吸烟史、帕金森病病程、Hohn-Yahr分期、UPDRS-Ⅲ评分、左旋多巴用量与嗅觉的相关性。结果帕金森病组嗅觉得分(5.97±2.27)明显低于对照组(8.04±2.00),差异有统计学意义(P=0.000);帕金森病组对一些气味的识别(薄荷、香蕉、甘草、咖啡、菠萝、玫瑰、鱼)明显差于对照组(P0.05);ROC曲线分析显示,7.5分是嗅觉障碍的最佳诊断界值,其敏感度为67.3%,特异度为73.6%,由此得出帕金森病组中嗅觉障碍的发生率为73.6%;相关性分析结果显示,帕金森病组性别(rs=-0.243)、文化程度(rs=0.208)及吸烟史(rs=-0.279,)与气味识别能力相关(P0.05),而年龄、病程、Hohn-Yahr分期、UPDRS-Ⅲ评分及左旋多巴用量与气味识别能力不相关(P0.05)。结论帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍发生率较高,帕金森病患者的嗅觉功能与疾病病程、Hohn-Yahr分期、UPDRS-Ⅲ评分及左旋多巴用量无关。     

帕金森病患者嗅觉功能与认知功能和运动症状相关性分析

目的探讨原发性帕金森病患者嗅觉功能与认知功能和运动症状的相关性。方法纳入2018年8月至2019年10月在安徽医科大学第一附属医院诊断与治疗的152例原发性帕金森病患者,采用中国气味识别测试(CSIT)评估嗅觉识别功能并根据测试结果分为嗅觉正常组(62例)和嗅觉障碍组(90例),同时采用统一帕金森病评价量表第三部分(UPDRSⅢ)评估运动功能,蒙特利尔认知评价量表(MoCA)北京版评估认知功能,汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)和汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)评估抑郁和焦虑症状,n-back测试评估视空间工作记忆能力。Pearson相关分析和Spearman秩相关分析探讨帕金森病患者嗅觉功能与认知功能和运动症状的相关性。结果与嗅觉正常组相比,嗅觉障碍组患者CSIT-self评分(Z=-2.081,P=0.037)和CSIT-OI评分(t=13.966,P=0.000)降低,MoCA总评分(t=3.008,P=0.003)以及视空间执行功能(Z=-2.277,P=0.023)、命名(Z=-2.397,P=0.017)、注意力(Z=-3.203,P=0.001)、语言(Z=-2.229,P=0.026)、延迟记忆(Z=-2.426,P=0.015)等分评分均降低,1-back测试(t=2.341,P=0.027)和2-back测试(t=2.406,P=0.024)正确率降低,0-back测试(t=-2.309,P=0.029)和2-back测试(t=-2.314,P=0.029)反应时间延长。相关分析结果显示,帕金森病患者嗅觉识别功能评分与MoCA总评分呈正相关关系(rs=0.298,P=0.000)。结论帕金森病患者嗅觉功能与认知功能密切相关,存在嗅觉障碍的帕金森病患者视空间工作记忆能力较差,应该更加关注此类患者的认知功能和视空间工作记忆能力。     

脑深部电刺激双侧丘脑底核治疗PD对嗅觉功能的影响

目的 研究脑深部电刺激双侧丘脑底核治疗帕金森病(PD)对患者嗅觉功能的影响.方法 对15例合并有嗅觉障碍的散发性PD患者行双侧丘脑底核电极植入术,分别于术前1 w、术后6、12个月应用“五味嗅觉测试液”检测PD患者嗅觉觉察阈值(DT)和嗅觉识别阈值(TT),进行统计学分析.结果 术后15例PD患者运动功能症状改善良好.手术前后不服药刺激器“关”状态下患者的DT、IT比较均无明显差异(P＞0.05),术后6、12个月DT在刺激器“开、关”状态下对比均无明显改变(P＞0.05),但IT在刺激器“开”状态下较“关”状态显著改善(P＜0.05).结论 脑深部电刺激双侧丘脑底核(STN DBS)可明显改善PD患者的嗅觉认知功能,可能与改善了纹状体多巴胺代谢及增加了纹状体、中脑、扣带回、前额叶运动区皮质、顶枕叶高级躯体感觉联合区皮质葡萄糖代谢有关.     

吸烟对帕金森病患者嗅觉障碍的影响

目的探讨吸烟对帕金森病(PD)患者嗅觉障碍的影响。方法根据吸烟情况将167例PD患者(PD组)及100例正常人(正常对照组)分为吸烟亚组及不吸烟亚组。采用TT嗅觉测试液对入组者进行嗅素识别阈值测定。结果与正常对照组比较,PD组MMSE评分及蒙特利尔认知评估(Mo CA)评分显著降低(均P0.05),两组年龄、吸烟史及男性比率未见明显差异(均P0.05)。PD组嗅素识别阈显著高于正常对照组(t=6.785,P=0.000)。与PD吸烟亚组比较,不吸烟亚组嗅素识别阈显著升高(t=-3.000,P=0.003)。正常人吸烟亚组较不吸烟亚组嗅素识别阈值减低,但无统计学意义(t=0.784,P=0.435)。PD吸烟者嗅觉阈值与吸烟年限、吸烟总量无相关(r=-0.104,P=0.441;r=-0.156,P=0.246)。结论吸烟可能对PD患者嗅觉有保护作用,并且与吸烟年限、吸烟总量无关。     

嗅觉功能检查在帕金森病诊断中的应用

目的 探讨帕金森病(Parkinson's disease,PD)患者的嗅觉功能改变特点.方法 对37例临床确诊的50岁以上PD患者和95名年龄匹配的健康中老年人进行T&T主观嗅觉识别阈测试和嗅觉事件相关电位(olfactory event related potentials,OERP)检查,比较其主观嗅觉识别阈和嗅觉事件相关电位P2潜伏期的差异.结果 ≥70岁的PD患者左、右侧鼻腔主观嗅觉识别阈分别为4.6±1.1、4.4±1.2,<70岁PD患者左、右侧鼻腔主观嗅觉识别阈分别为3.9±1.7、4.0±1.7;≥70岁的对照组左、右侧鼻腔主观嗅觉识别阈分别为0.4±0.9、0.4±0.9,<70岁对照组左、右侧鼻腔主观嗅觉识别阈分别为0.5±0.8、0.5±0.8;PD患者组的主观嗅觉识别阈明显高于对照组(t=15.246、15.378、8.664、8.776,P<0.01);≥70岁的PD患者左、右侧鼻腔OERP P2潜伏期分别为(734.9±143.2)、(696.1±165.9)ms,<70岁的PD患者左、右侧鼻腔OERP P2潜伏期分别为(730.5±159.4)、(719.5±159.2)ms;≥70岁的对照组左、右侧鼻腔OERP P2潜伏期分别为(547.9±65.0)、(558.5±56.3)ms,<70岁的对照组左、右侧鼻腔OERP P2潜伏期分别为(523.3±61.9)、(526.8±62.0)ms,OERP P2潜伏期则明显长于对照组(t=-3.940、-3.750、-7.514、-8.205,P<0.01);同时PD患者组的主观嗅觉识别阈和OERP的异常率明显高于对照组.结论 PD患者主观嗅觉识别阈测试和OERP P2潜伏期结果 明显比对照组差,提示嗅觉功能减退是PD的重要临床表现;嗅觉功能检查可以作为PD筛查、诊断的参考指标.     

多发性硬化患者的嗅觉功能研究

目的探讨多发性硬化(multiple sclerosis,MS)患者的嗅觉功能。方法应用"T﹠T嗅觉仪"检测30例MS患者及30名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照的嗅觉识别阈值(identification threshold,IT)和嗅觉感知阈值(detection threshold,DT),并采集患者的病史,进行临床和神经心理评估,包括扩展的功能障碍状况量表(expanded disability status scale,EDSS)和贝克抑郁自评问卷(Beck depression rating scale,BDI),根据IT、DT结果是否正常及病程分组,分析各组IT、DT情况及其与其临床特征的关系,并分析MS患者IT、DT与BDI评分的相关性,探讨嗅觉与抑郁的关系。结果 MS患者的IT〔0.7(-2,4)vs.-0.1(-1.1,0.7),u=247.500,P=0.003〕,及DT〔-2(-2,-0.4)vs.-2(-2,-1.9),u=333.000,P=0.016〕均高于健康对照组;病程≥2年者多出现识别功能受损,MS患者中识别障碍组的EDSS评分高于识别正常组(P=0.017)。MS组IT及DT与BDI评分无相关性(分别r=0.200,P=0.289;r=-0.0209,P=0.913),MS组嗅觉障碍亚组IT及DT与BDI评分亦无相关性(r=0.0899,P=0.750;r=-0.131,P=0.642)。结论 MS患者存在嗅觉功能障碍,且嗅觉功能与抑郁可能不相关。     

基于功能连接的复发缓解型多发性硬化患者默认网络静息态功能磁共振成像

目的 采用静息态功能磁共振成像(rs-fMRI)基于种子点相关性分析技术对复发缓解型多发性硬化(RRMS)患者默认网络的功能连接改变进行研究.方法 使用3.0T磁共振采集RRMS组和健康对照组(各27例)rs-fMRI数据.数据经预处理后,选择后扣带回(-5,-49,40)为种子点,采用基于种子点相关性分析技术进行功能连接分析,分别在默认网络内和默认网络外脑区比较两组功能连接的差异.分析差异脑区与临床参数如临床扩展残疾量表、同步听觉连续加法测验评分(PASAT)、脑实质分数、T2可见病灶数和病程的相关性.结果 基于种子点相关性分析技术构建的RRMS患者默认网络包含脑区主要有前额叶皮质腹侧、双侧顶下叶、后扣带回及楔前叶等脑区.在默认网络内比较,RRMS患者较健康对照组右侧额上回功能连接下降;右侧小脑后叶、右侧小脑脚、右侧颞中回、右侧额中回、左侧楔前叶及扣带回、右侧角回、右侧扣带回功能连接增高.RRMS患者组默认网络内差异脑区中,右侧颞中回功能连接系数(0.387±0.216)与PASAT呈负相关(r=-0.590,P =0.001);患者右侧额上回功能连接系数(0.039±0.293)与病程之间呈负相关(r=-0.390,P=0.041).在默认网络外比较,RRMS组后扣带回功能连接下降脑区有右侧额上回、左侧枕中回、左侧中央前回;功能连接增高脑区有右侧小脑前叶(含齿状核)、右侧额叶白质区.RRMS组后扣带回与左侧中央前回、右侧小脑前叶功能连接系数(-0.924±0.253和0.217±0.208)分别与病程之间存在正相关(r =0.650,P=0.000;r =0.436,P=0.023).结论 RRMS患者默认网络内和默认网络外均出现后扣带回静息态功能连接的异常改变,表明患者存在功能下降和代偿的复杂过程.RRMS患者存在有限功能重构或重组,以维持默认网络的功能稳定.     

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic evidence for presupplementary motor area neuronal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.

The anterior cingulate (AC) gyrus and the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA) show pathological changes in Parkinson's disease (PD). We examined if PD patients show magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) changes in NAA/Cr in the AC, pre-SMA, or posterior cingulate (PC). Forty-four (27 male, 17 female) healthy nondemented PD patients and 38 controls (18 male, 20 female) 65 years of age and older were examined using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Mini-Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, and Geriatric Depression Scale. MRS was performed at 1.5 T. Voxels (8 cc; PRESS; TE = 80; TR = 1,600 ms) were placed mid-sagittally. Gray matter and white matter volumes were measured within voxels using SPM2. Spectra were analyzed using LC model to yield NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr. Demographic and cognitive measures did not differ between groups. Motor UPDRS was 17.7 +/- 8.8 for PD. Pre-SMA NAA/Cr was lower in PD (PD: 1.39 +/- 0.17; control: 1.47 +/- 0.16; P = 0.045) and correlated negatively with age (r = 0.39; P = 0.01), but not with UPDRS, disease duration, or dopamine equivalents. AC and PC NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in any region did not differ (P > 0.05). In conclusion, pre-SMA NAA/Cr was selectively decreased in PD, consistent with neuronal dysfunction. This should be further examined as a biomarker of disease in PD.     

早期帕金森病患者非运动症状与脑结构异常的观察

目的 分析早期帕金森病(PD)患者非运动症状(NMS)的特点及相关脑灰质结构异常.方法 对34例早期原发性PD患者的NMS数量进行记录,并与年龄、病程、病情严重程度及帕金森病统一评价量表(UPDRSⅢ评分)等进行相关分析.应用3D-T1WI脑容积扫描序列对PD患者与25名健康对照进行扫描,采用基于体素的形态学测量(VBM)方法进行数据处理得到全脑灰质图像.结果 PD组患者NMS数量显著高于对照组,且与年龄、病程及MoCA评分无相关性;与UPDRSⅢ评分、H-Y分期呈正相关;与MMSE呈负相关.PD组患者双侧额叶中下回、双侧岛叶、右侧颞中回、右侧楔叶、舌回;左侧颞上回、颞横回灰质不同程度萎缩,双侧额叶萎缩与NMS评分呈正相关.结论 NMS可在早期PD患者中出现,提示PD是累及多系统的神经系统变性病,且PD患者的NMS数量与脑灰质体积缺失关系密切.     

Regional gray matter abnormalities in panic disorder: A voxel-based morphometry study

Although abnormalities in brain structures involved in the neurobiology of fear and anxiety have been implicated in the pathophysiology of panic disorder (PD), relatively few studies have made use of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine structural brain abnormalities in PD. We have assessed gray matter volume in 19 PD patients and 20 healthy volunteers using VBM. Images were acquired using a 1.5 T MRI scanner, and were spatially normalized and segmented using optimized VBM. Statistical comparisons were performed using the general linear model. A relative increase in gray matter volume was found in the left insula of PD patients compared with controls. Additional structures showing differential increases were the left superior temporal gyrus, the midbrain, and the pons. A relative gray matter deficit was found in the right anterior cingulate cortex. The insula and anterior cingulate abnormalities may be relevant to the pathophysiology of PD, since these structures participate in the evaluation process that ascribes negative emotional meaning to potentially distressing cognitive and interoceptive sensory information. The abnormal brain stem structures may be involved in the generation of panic attacks.     

Regional gray matter abnormalities in panic disorder: a voxel-based morphometry study

Although abnormalities in brain structures involved in the neurobiology of fear and anxiety have been implicated in the pathophysiology of panic disorder (PD), relatively few studies have made use of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine structural brain abnormalities in PD. We have assessed gray matter volume in 19 PD patients and 20 healthy volunteers using VBM. Images were acquired using a 1.5 T MRI scanner, and were spatially normalized and segmented using optimized VBM. Statistical comparisons were performed using the general linear model. A relative increase in gray matter volume was found in the left insula of PD patients compared with controls. Additional structures showing differential increases were the left superior temporal gyrus, the midbrain, and the pons. A relative gray matter deficit was found in the right anterior cingulate cortex. The insula and anterior cingulate abnormalities may be relevant to the pathophysiology of PD, since these structures participate in the evaluation process that ascribes negative emotional meaning to potentially distressing cognitive and interoceptive sensory information. The abnormal brain stem structures may be involved in the generation of panic attacks.     

Frontal lobe gray matter density decreases in bipolar I disorder.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to explore differences in gray and white matter density between bipolar and healthy comparison groups using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). METHODS: Brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed for 39 subjects with bipolar I disorder and 43 comparison subjects. Images were registered into a proportional stereotaxic space and segmented into gray matter, white mater, and cerebrospinal fluid. Statistical parametric mapping was used to calculate differences in gray and white matter density between groups. RESULTS: Bipolar subjects had decreased gray matter density in left anterior cingulate gyrus (Brodmann's area [BA] 32, 7.3% decrease), an adjacent left medial frontal gyrus (BA 10, 6.9% decrease), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47, 9.2% decrease), and right precentral gyrus (BA 44, 6.2% decrease), relative to comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The observation of a gray matter density decrease in the left anterior cingulate, which processes emotions, in bipolar subjects is consistent with prior reports that used region-of-interest analytic methods. Decreased gray matter density in the right inferior frontal gyrus, which processes nonverbal and intrinsic functions, supports nondominant hemisphere dysfunction as a component of bipolar disorder.     

Gray matter atrophy in narcolepsy: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis

The authors reviewed the literature on the use of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in narcolepsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies via the use of a meta-analysis of neuroimaging to identify concordant and specific structural deficits in patients with narcolepsy as compared with healthy subjects. We used PubMed to retrieve articles published between January 2000 and March 2014. The authors included all VBM research on narcolepsy and compared the findings of the studies by using gray matter volume (GMV) or gray matter concentration (GMC) to index differences in gray matter. Stereotactic data were extracted from 8 VBM studies of 149 narcoleptic patients and 162 control subjects. We applied activation likelihood estimation (ALE) technique and found significant regional gray matter reduction in the bilateral hypothalamus, thalamus, globus pallidus, extending to nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left mid orbital and rectal gyri (BAs 10 and 11), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47), and the right superior temporal gyrus (BA 41) in patients with narcolepsy. The significant gray matter deficits in narcoleptic patients occurred in the bilateral hypothalamus and frontotemporal regions, which may be related to the emotional processing abnormalities and orexin/hypocretin pathway common among populations of patients with narcolepsy.     

Regional cortical grey matter loss in Parkinson's disease without dementia is independent from visual hallucinations

In our previous functional magnetic resonance imaging study, Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with visual hallucinations (VH) showed reduced activations in ventral/lateral visual association cortices preceding image recognition, compared with both PD patients without VH and healthy controls. The primary aim of the current study was to investigate whether functional deficits are associated with grey matter volume changes. In addition, possible grey matter differences between all PD patients and healthy controls were assessed. By using 3‐Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel‐based morphometry (VBM), we found no differences between PD patients with (n = 11) and without VH (n = 13). However, grey matter decreases of the bilateral prefrontal and parietal cortex, left anterior superior temporal, and left middle occipital gyrus were found in the total group of PD patients, compared with controls (n = 14). This indicates that previously demonstrated functional deficits in PD patients with VH are not associated with grey matter loss. The strong left parietal reduction in both nondemented patient groups was hemisphere specific and independent of the side of PD symptoms. © 2010Movement Disorder Society.     

Reduced anterior and posterior cingulate gray matter in borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: Structural abnormalities in prefrontal and cingulate gyrus regions-important in affective processing, impulse control and cognition may contribute to the psychopathology of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Previous MRI studies examining volume have reported that compared with healthy controls, BPD patients have decreases in right anterior cingulate, no differences in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and mixed findings for prefrontal cortex. We extended this investigation by examining gray and white matter volume of frontal and cingulate gyrus Brodmann areas (BAs) in a large group of patients and healthy controls. METHODS: MRI scans were acquired in 50 BPD patients (n = 13 with comorbid diagnosis of BPD and Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD) and n = 37 without SPD) and 50 healthy controls, and gray/white matter volume in cingulate gyrus and frontal lobe BAs were assessed. Normal BPD and BPD subgroup comparisons were conducted. RESULTS: Compared with controls, BPD patients showed reduced gray matter volume in BA 24 and 31 of the cingulate. BPD patients without comorbid SPD had isolated gray matter volume loss in BA 24, but were spared for BA 31 in contrast to BPD patients with SPD. There were no group differences in whole cingulate or frontal lobe volume. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of more pervasive cingulate shrinkage in the patients with BPD and SPD comorbidity resembles recent observations with the same methods in patients with schizophrenia. The pattern of reduced anterior and posterior cingulate gray matter volume in BPD patients, particularly those comorbid for SPD is consistent with the affective and attentional deficits observed in these personality disorders.