Computerized tomography of the brain in manic-depressive patients--a controlled study.

A computerized tomography (CT) of the brain was carried out on 40 manic-depressive patients and 40 controls in order to study the organic characteristics of the brain in manic-depressive psychosis. In the age group of 49 years and below, the left septum-caudate distance (LSC) showed a lower value in the manic-depressive group, but the other measurements for the ventricular system did not differ between both groups. The age group of 50 and over revealed a significant enlargement of maximum width of the interhemispheric fissure (IF) and maximum width between the sylvian fissure and inner skull (SFIS) in the manic-depressive group compared with the controls. The tendency to an enlargement of the third ventricle (HIV) and maximum width of the right anterior horn (RAH) was also seen in the manic-depressive patients. Cortical atrophy tended to appear in the temporal and occipital lobes earlier in the manic-depressive group than in the controls. The patients showing a cerebral asymmetry of the hemisphere in the manic-depressive group tended to show a reversed cerebral asymmetry.