Figure 6.

Morphometric alterations in auditory cortex in schizophrenia. (A) Neuron pathology in schizophrenia as revealed by human postmortem studies of auditory cortex. Mean somal volume of PCs in deep layer III in A1 and A2 in schizophrenia were found to be significantly reduced. Dendritic spine density was reduced in deep layer III of A1 and A2, reflecting reduced number of dendritic spines in deep layer III of A1 in schizophrenia. GAD65 levels were reduced in deep layer III boutons in A1 in schizophrenia, although the specific interneuron cell types affected are not currently known. (B) Proposed model for auditory cortex related dysfunction in schizophrenia, linking genetic risk to anatomical alterations, auditory sensory processing deficits and poor functional outcomes.