Prevalence of cavum vergae in psychosis and mood spectrum disorders

Abstract

Background: Midline brain abnormalities might increase susceptibility to both first-episode and chronic mental disorder. Evidence of cavum vergae (CV) abnormality in mental disorders is scarce.

Methods: The presence of CV was assessed by a researcher blind to clinical information in a cross-disorder sample of 639 patients with mood and psychotic disorders and in 223 healthy controls. Homogeneous magnetic resonance imaging methods of acquisition and assessment were applied.

Results: Seven out of 639 patients with mood or psychotic disorders were detected with CV which corresponds to a prevalence of 1.1%. There were no concurrent cases of CV in the healthy control group. Identified cases which are briefly described were diagnosed from bipolar I disorder (n=2), delusional disorder (n=1), brief psychotic disorder (n=1) and schizoaffective disorder (n=3). Patients with CV had descriptively lower current IQ, executive functioning and memory scores in relation to patients without CV but this was not statistically significant.

Limitations: Effects of medication and lack of statistical power of the CV patient group.

Conclusions: Midline brain abnormalities, such as CV, might represent an unspecific risk factor for the development of severe mental disorders.

Keywords: Cavum vergae; Midline brain; Mood disorders; Psychotic disorders; Septum pellucidum; Structural MRI.