A three-dimensional morphometric study of craniofacial shape in schizophrenia.

Abstract

Subtle dysmorphogenesis of the craniofacial region constitutes important corroborating evidence of the neurodevelopmental origins of schizophrenia. Advances in facial visualization now allow for three-dimensional anthropometric evaluations of potentially greater discriminatory power in examining the complex geometric relationships of facial topography. Sixty-five anthropometrically derived landmarks were identified from three-dimensional facial images collected from 14 patients with schizophrenia and 11 comparison subjects, imaged with a high-resolution, portable laser scanner. Using the Procrustes morphometric approach for shape analysis, the difference in mean shapes was highly significant, with patients exhibiting superoinferior elongation of the face. The topography of craniofacial anomalies in schizophrenia is not random and points to midline deformation.