MRI analysis of cerebellar vermal abnormalities in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to expand previous findings of vermal abnormalities in bipolar disorder patients. METHOD: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometry was used to quantify vermal subregion volumes in 18 subjects with first-episode bipolar disorder, 21 subjects with multiple-episode bipolar disorder, and 32 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Vermal subregion V2 volume was significantly smaller in multiple-episode bipolar disorder subjects than in first-episode patients and healthy subjects. Vermal subregion V3 was significantly smaller in multiple-episode bipolar disorder subjects than in healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that posterior-inferior cerebellar vermal abnormalities are present in patients with multiple-episode bipolar disorder.