Identifying grey matter changes in schizotypy using partial least squares correlation.

Neuroimaging research into the brain structure of schizophrenia patients has shown consistent reductions in grey matter volume relative to healthy controls. Examining structural differences in individuals with high levels of schizotypy may help elucidate the course of disorder progression, and provide further support for the schizotypy-schizophrenia continuum. Thus far, the few studies investigating grey matter differences in schizotypy have produced inconsistent results. In the current study, we used a multivariate partial least squares (PLS) approach to clarify the relationship between psychometric schizotypy (measured by the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences) and grey matter volume in 49 healthy adults. We found a negative association between all schizotypy dimensions and grey matter volume in the frontal and temporal lobes, as well as the insula. We also found a positive association between all schizotypy dimensions and grey matter volume in the parietal and temporal lobes, and in subcortical regions. Further correlational analyses revealed that positive and disorganised schizotypy were strongly associated with key regions (left superior temporal gyrus and insula) most consistently reported to be affected in schizophrenia and schizotypy. We also compared PLS with the typically used General Linear Model (GLM) and demonstrate that PLS can be reliably used as an extension to voxel-based morphometry (VBM) data. This may be particularly valuable for schizotypy research due to PLS' ability to detect small, but reliable effects. Together, the findings indicate that healthy schizotypal individuals exhibit structural changes in regions associated with schizophrenia. This adds to the evidence of an overlap of phenotypic expression between schizotypy and schizophrenia, and may help establish biological endophenotypes for the disorder.