Author Date

2022-06-10

Degree Name

Department

Neuroscience

College

Life Sciences

Defense Date

2022-05-26

Publication Date

2022-06-10

First Faculty Advisor

Derin J. Cobia

First Faculty Reader

Jared Nielsen

Honors Coordinator

Rebekka Matheson

Keywords

schizophrenia, sexual dimorphism, limbic system, hippocampus, amygdala, computational

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects a significant number of individuals in the United States and can have numerous different symptoms. Recently, interest in the differences between the neuroanatomy of individuals with schizophrenia and individuals without schizophrenia has emerged, specifically the sexual dimorphism in individuals with schizophrenia. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the sexual dimorphisms of two structures in the limbic system: the hippocampus and amygdala. Data was harmonized and analyzed from two datasets to determine the sexual dimorphic factor of these structures in healthy controls and individuals with schizophrenia. Demographic features were also taken into consideration for all subjects. It was found that women with schizophrenia exhibited an inward deformation in both the hippocampus and amygdala, whereas men with schizophrenia exhibited an outward deformation in the hippocampus. These results suggest that men and women with schizophrenia do possess differences between the hippocampus and amygdala and that these differences may impact symptom manifestation and potential treatments.