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Psychiatry18 papers

Structural abnormality of brainstem

Last edited: 4/10/2026

Overview

The planum temporale (PT) is a brain region involved in auditory and language processing. Structural asymmetries in the PT have been investigated in relation to schizophrenia 1.

Diagnosis

  • Atypical PT asymmetries and reduced left PT size have been observed in patients with schizophrenia compared to controls 1.
  • Research findings on PT asymmetries in schizophrenia are inconsistent, with some studies showing an association and others finding no link 1.
  • Inconsistencies may be due to low statistical power or limited representativeness in some studies 1.
  • Management

  • No management strategies are discussed in the provided abstracts.
  • Special Populations

  • No information on special populations is available in the provided abstracts.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Investigate potential links between atypical planum temporale (PT) asymmetries and schizophrenia, acknowledging inconsistent findings in prior research 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
  • Consider the role of reduced left PT size as a potential structural abnormality associated with schizophrenia 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
  • References

    1 Borawski J, Papadatou-Pastou M, Peterburs J, Merklein SA, Ocklenburg S. Structural asymmetries in the planum temporale in patients with schizophrenia: A meta-analysis. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews 2026. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Structural asymmetries in the planum temporale in patients with schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.Borawski J, Papadatou-Pastou M, Peterburs J, Merklein SA, Ocklenburg S Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews (2026)

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