Globus pallidus volume is related to symptom severity in neuroleptic naive patients with schizophrenia

This study compares globus pallidus (GP) volume between neuroleptic naïve patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls using structural MRI. The volume of the external segment of the GP (GPe) was positively correlated with the severity of global symptoms, as measured by the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SANS/SAPS, Andreasen and Olsen, 1982). The volume for the GP, GPe, and internal segment (GPi) did not differ between groups.