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Frontal lobe alterations in schizophrenia: a review

Alterações no lobo frontal na esquizofrenia: uma revisão

Abstract

Objective:

To highlight the changes in the frontal lobe of the human brain in people with schizophrenia.

Methods:

This was a qualitative review of the literature.

Results:

Many schizophrenic patients exhibit functional, structural, and metabolic abnormalities in the frontal lobe. Some patients have few or no alterations, while some have more functional and structural changes than others. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows structural and functional changes in volume, gray matter, white matter, and functional activity in the frontal lobe, but the mechanisms underlying these changes are not yet fully understood.

Conclusion:

When schizophrenia is studied as an essential topic in the field of neuropsychiatry, neuroscientists find that the frontal lobe is the most commonly involved area of the human brain. A clear picture of how this lobe is affected in schizophrenia is still lacking. We therefore recommend that further research be conducted to improve understanding of the pathophysiology of this psychiatric dilemma.

Keywords:
Schizophrenia; frontal lobe asymmetries; frontal-hallucinations; neuroimaging

Associação de Psiquiatria do Rio Grande do Sul Av. Ipiranga, 5311/202, 90610-001 Porto Alegre RS/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 51) 3024 4846 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
E-mail: trends@aprs.org.br