Structural brain abnormalities in catatonia.

In this study, the ventricle to brain ratios of catatonic subjects were compared and evaluated with respect to the underlying diagnoses. Catatonic individuals with the diagnosis of schizophrenia were more likely to have greater ventricle to brain ratios than other catatonic subjects. The association of large ventricles with chronic, deteriorating psychosis is maintained and the heterogeneity of the syndrome of catatonia is apparent. It is possible that the presence of large ventricles may be useful to predict the chronicity of disability for some cases of catatonia.