Reversed Brain Anatomical Asymmetries in Schizophrenia: A Search for Contributing Variables

The anatomical asymmetry of the brain known today under the label of ‘typical’ asymmetry, i.e. the predominance of the left parietooccipital area, was recognized in the beginning of this century and was related to a ‘specialization of the two hemispheres’ (Smith, 1907).

Abstract

The anatomical asymmetry of the brain known today under the label of ‘typical’ asymmetry, i.e. the predominance of the left parietooccipital area, was recognized in the beginning of this century and was related to a ‘specialization of the two hemispheres’ (Smith, 1907). The possibility that cognitive disturbances in the mentally ill might be associated with some sort of ‘atypical’ brain anatomy was entertained in the early twenties. Some hemisphere asymmetries in psychotic patients, including patients with dementia praecox, had been observed (Fortig, 1922; Inglessis, 1926), but they seemed to be within the range of the non-psychotic population. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.