Comparative analysis of auditory cortex volumes in schizophrenia patients via magnetic resonance imaging

Rumeysa Nur Çakır; Filiz Özsoy; Fatma Kökcü; Hilal Irmak Sapmaz

doi:10.5606/kbbu.2026.755

Rumeysa Nur Çakır¹, Filiz Özsoy², Fatma Kökcü³, Hilal Irmak Sapmaz¹

¹Department of Anatomy, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Türkiye
²Department of Mental Health and Illnesses, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Türkiye
³Department of Radiology, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Türkiye

Keywords: Auditory cortex, auditory verbal hallucination, cortical thickness, Heschl’s gyrus, magnetic resonance imaging, schizophrenia, volume.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate whether Heschl’s gyrus (HG) is structurally affected in terms of volume and cortical thickness in schizophrenia patients compared with healthy individuals.

Patients and Methods: Between January 2017 and December 2024, a total of 80 individuals were enrolled, consisting of a schizophrenia group (n = 39) and a healthy control group (n = 41). The study group was further categorized into two clinical subgroups based on the presence of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH): AVH(+) (11 males, 5 females; mean age: 31.9±9.8 years; range, 19 to 49) and AVH(–) (12 males, 11 females; mean age: 29.6±11.2 years; range 18 to 54). DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) images were converted to NIfTI (Neuroimaging Informatics Technology Initiative) and analyzed with the online automated segmentation tool vol2Brain. The total cortical volume, right cortical volume, left cortical volume, total cortical thickness, right cortical thickness, and left cortical thickness values of HG obtained from the reports were statistically compared between the groups.

Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in HG-related volume and cortical thickness parameters. The total cortical thickness of HG value was lower in the schizophrenia group compared to healthy controls (p = 0.040; p (B) = 0.120). The right cortical thickness of HG value in male patients was significantly lower than in healthy males (p = 0.038; p (B) = 0.114). Within the patient group, the right cortical volume of HG value was significantly higher in the group with AVH than in the group without AVH (p = 0.041, p (B) = 0.123).

Conclusion: The HG is a region worth studying in schizophrenia patients, but morphometric changes in this region can be elucidated with a larger sample and more detailed clinical information.

Citation: Çakır RN, Özsoy F, Kökcü F, Irmak Sapmaz H. Comparative analysis of auditory cortex volumes in schizophrenia patients via magnetic resonance imaging. Praxis Otorhinolaryngol 2026;14(2):112-121. https://doi.org/10.5606/ kbbu.2026.75537.

This study was presented at the 20^th International Hippocrates Congress on Medical and Health Sciences, held Online on December 19-20, 2025, Ankara, Türkiye.