{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,2]],"date-time":"2026-11-02T21:37:55Z","timestamp":1793655475270,"version":"4.5.1"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]],"date-time":"2025-08-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756080000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The thalamus, together with its associated nuclei and thalamocortical pathways, is crucial in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) in schizophrenia (SCZ). Purpose: The study investigates the role of thalamic nuclei in schizophrenia patients experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). Methods: A total of 21 healthy controls (HC), 22 schizophrenia patients without auditory verbal hallucinations (SCZ_AVH\u2212), and 22 schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations (SCZ_AVH+), aged between 19 and 65 years, were recruited. They underwent MRI scans, and participants in the SCZ_AVH+ group completed the assessment of the severity of different dimensions of auditory hallucinations and delusions using the psychotic symptom rating scale (PSYRATS). High-resolution T1-weighted imaging was utilized to analyze the volumes of the thalamic nuclei. Results: The volumetric analysis of the thalamic nuclei indicated a significant reduction (t = 2.64, p = 0.03) in the right medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) volume in the SCZ_AVH+ group (0.08 \u00b1 0.01 cm3) compared to the SCZ_AVH\u2212 group (0.09 \u00b1 0.01 cm3). Also, the SCZ_AVH\u2212 group (0.03 \u00b1 0 cm3) showed a significant increase (t = \u22122.73, p = 0.02) in right habenular nucleus (HN) volume compared to the HC group (0.02 \u00b1 0 cm3). Significant correlations were observed between the volume of the left MGN and psychotic ratings (r= \u22120.5), as well as between the volume of the right HN and psychotic ratings (r= 0.56). Conclusion: The volumetric changes are observed in both SCZ_AVH\u2212 and SCZ_AVH+ groups, mainly in the thalamic nuclei. Structural deficits in the MGN may distinguish schizophrenia patients with AVHs from those without.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci15090914","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,26]],"date-time":"2025-08-26T06:26:31Z","timestamp":1756189591000},"page":"914","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The Involvement of Thalamic Nuclei in Schizophrenia Patients with and Without Auditory Verbal Hallucinations: A Brain Morphometry Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8196-3233","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fahad H.","family":"Alhazmi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (2025, July 10). Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx), [Internet]. Available online: https:\/\/vizhub.healthdata.org\/gbd-results\/?params=gbd-api-2019-permalink\/27a7644e8ad28e739382d31e77589dd7."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5319","DOI":"10.1038\/s41380-023-02138-4","article-title":"Incidence, prevalence, and global burden of schizophrenia\u2014Data, with critical appraisal, from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019","volume":"28","author":"Solmi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1016\/S0006-3223(99)00289-9","article-title":"Schizophrenia: Genes and environment","volume":"47","author":"Tsuang","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.1016\/0920-9964(88)90045-X","article-title":"The positive\/negative symptom distinction in schizophrenia validity and etiological relevance","volume":"1","author":"Walker","year":"1988","journal-title":"Schizophr. Res."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1093\/schbul\/17.1.27","article-title":"Schizophrenia: The characteristic symptoms","volume":"17","author":"Andreasen","year":"1991","journal-title":"Schizophr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"724","DOI":"10.1093\/schbul\/sbs061","article-title":"The characteristic features of auditory verbal hallucinations in clinical and nonclinical groups: State-of-the-art overview and future directions","volume":"38","author":"Sommer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Schizophr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.schres.2007.01.017","article-title":"Correlates of hallucinations in schizophrenia: A cross-cultural evaluation","volume":"92","author":"Thomas","year":"2007","journal-title":"Schizophr. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112","DOI":"10.1016\/j.schres.2022.10.015","article-title":"The relationship between appraisals of auditory verbal hallucinations and real-time affect and social functioning","volume":"250","author":"Buck","year":"2022","journal-title":"Schizophr. Res."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2892","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.2010.21589","article-title":"The Corollary Discharge in Humans Is Related to Synchronous Neural Oscillations","volume":"23","author":"Chen","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Cogn. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"458","DOI":"10.1176\/ajp.2007.164.3.458","article-title":"Synch before you speak: Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia","volume":"164","author":"Ford","year":"2007","journal-title":"Am. J. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2014.01.003","article-title":"Action planning and predictive coding when speaking","volume":"91","author":"Wang","year":"2014","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2016.11.002","article-title":"Interaction of language, auditory and memory brain networks in auditory verbal hallucinations","volume":"148","author":"Ford","year":"2017","journal-title":"Prog. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, H., Wu, F., Ke, X., Li, R., Lu, X., Ning, Y., Cheng, J., Moffitt, H., Kim, I., and Chi, Z. (2017). Reduced gray matter volume of left superior temporal gyrus in schizophrenia with auditory verbal hallucinations: A voxel-based morphometry study. BIO Web Conf., 8.","DOI":"10.1051\/bioconf\/20170801031"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xie, Y., Zhang, T., Ma, C., Guan, M., Li, C., Wang, L., Lin, X., Li, Y., Wang, Z., and Wang, H. (2025). The underlying neurobiological basis of gray matter volume alterations in schizophrenia with auditory verbal hallucinations: A meta-analytic investigation. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry, 138.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2025.111331"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3169","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awn251","article-title":"Auditory verbal hallucinations predominantly activate the right inferior frontal area","volume":"131","author":"Sommer","year":"2008","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1213","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.20341","article-title":"Misattribution of speech and impaired connectivity in patients with auditory verbal hallucinations","volume":"28","author":"Mechelli","year":"2007","journal-title":"Hum. Brain Mapp."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/j.schres.2008.05.025","article-title":"Spectroscopic metabolomic abnormalities in the thalamus related to auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia","volume":"104","author":"Brotons","year":"2008","journal-title":"Schizophr. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"418","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2015.01.040","article-title":"Sensory-motor networks involved in speech production and motor control: An fMRI study","volume":"109","author":"Behroozmand","year":"2015","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Heck, D.H., Fox, M.B., Chapman, B.C., McAfee, S.S., and Liu, Y. (2023). Cerebellar control of thalamocortical circuits for cognitive function: A review of pathways and a proposed mechanism. Front. Syst. Neurosci., 17.","DOI":"10.3389\/fnsys.2023.1126508"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conb.2018.04.018","article-title":"Developmental interactions between thalamus and cortex: A true love reciprocal story","volume":"52","author":"Espinosa","year":"2018","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1336","DOI":"10.1093\/schbul\/sbab142","article-title":"Aberrant Cerebello-Thalamo-Cortical Functional and Effective Connectivity in First-Episode Schizophrenia with Auditory Verbal Hallucinations","volume":"48","author":"Wei","year":"2022","journal-title":"Schizophr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1033","DOI":"10.1001\/archpsyc.57.11.1033","article-title":"Mapping Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia Using Func-tional Magnetic Resonance Imaging","volume":"57","author":"Shergill","year":"2000","journal-title":"Arch. Gen. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Huang, P., Xi, Y., Lu, Z.-L., Chen, Y., Li, X., Li, W., Zhu, X., Cui, L.-B., Tan, Q., and Liu, W. (2015). Decreased bilateral thalamic gray matter volume in first-episode schizophrenia with prominent hallucinatory symptoms: A volumetric MRI study. Sci. Rep., 5.","DOI":"10.1038\/srep14505"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1093\/schbul\/sby039","article-title":"Data-Driven Analysis of Functional Connectivity Reveals a Potential Auditory Verbal Hallucination Network","volume":"45","author":"Scheinost","year":"2018","journal-title":"Schizophr. Bull."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.02.047","article-title":"The anterior thalamic nuclei and cognition: A role beyond space?","volume":"126","author":"Nelson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"466","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.09.044","article-title":"Structural assessment of thalamus morphology in brain disorders: A review and recommendation of thalamic nucleus segmentation and shape analysis","volume":"131","author":"Keun","year":"2021","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kumar, V.J., Scheffler, K., and Grodd, W. (2023). The structural connectivity mapping of the intralaminar thalamic nuclei. Sci. Rep., 13.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-38967-0"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1627","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-019-01862-4","article-title":"Posterior thalamic nucleus axon terminals have different structure and functional impact in the motor and somatosensory vibrissal cortices","volume":"224","author":"Porrero","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anat. Embryol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Soler-Vidal, J., Fuentes-Claramonte, P., Salgado-Pineda, P., Ramiro, N., Garc\u00eda-Le\u00f3n, M.\u00c1., Torres, M.L., Ar\u00e9valo, A., Guerrero-Pedraza, A., Munuera, J., and Sarr\u00f3, S. (2022). Brain correlates of speech perception in schizophrenia patients with and without auditory hallucinations. PLoS ONE, 17.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0276975"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Manj\u00f3n, J.V., and Coup\u00e9, P. (2016). volBrain: An Online MRI Brain Volumetry System. Front. Neuroinformatics, 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fninf.2016.00030"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"601","DOI":"10.1006\/nimg.2000.0650","article-title":"The morel stereotactic atlas of the human thalamus: Atlas-to-MR registration of internally consistent canonical model","volume":"12","author":"Niemann","year":"2000","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"1","article-title":"Advanced normalization tools (ANTS)","volume":"2","author":"Avants","year":"2009","journal-title":"Insight J."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103070","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nicl.2022.103070","article-title":"Alterations in the volume of thalamic nuclei in patients with schizophrenia and persistent auditory hallucinations","volume":"35","author":"Elvira","year":"2022","journal-title":"NeuroImage Clin."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111863","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pscychresns.2024.111863","article-title":"Structural brain differences in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with and without auditory verbal hallucinations","volume":"344","author":"Gogolu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res. Neuroimaging"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/S0920-9964(02)00307-9","article-title":"Volumes of association thalamic nuclei in schizophrenia: A postmortem study","volume":"60","author":"Danos","year":"2003","journal-title":"Schizophr. Res."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nicl.2013.07.010","article-title":"Structural basis of the fronto-thalamic dysconnectivity in schizophrenia: A combined DCM-VBM study","volume":"3","author":"Wagner","year":"2013","journal-title":"NeuroImage Clin."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"875","article-title":"Abnormal Development and Dysconnectivity of Distinct Thalamic Nuclei in Patients With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Experiencing Auditory Hallucinations","volume":"5","author":"Mancini","year":"2020","journal-title":"Biol. Psychiatry Cogn. Neurosci. Neuroimaging"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"970","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2024.10.108","article-title":"Abnormal functional lateralization and cooperation in bipolar disorder are associated with neurotransmitter and cellular profiles","volume":"369","author":"Huang","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"207","article-title":"Altered asymmetries of resting-state MRI in the left thalamus of first-episode schizophrenia","volume":"8","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chronic Dis. Transl. Med."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"782","DOI":"10.1007\/s11682-020-00286-7","article-title":"Altered asymmetries of diffusion and volumetry in basal ganglia of schizophrenia","volume":"15","author":"He","year":"2020","journal-title":"Brain Imaging Behav."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Velasquez, K.M., Molfese, D.L., and Salas, R. (2014). The role of the habenula in drug addiction. Front. Hum. Neurosci., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2014.00174"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2017.03.019","article-title":"The role of the habenula in the transition from reward to misery in substance use and mood disorders","volume":"80","author":"Batalla","year":"2017","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xue, K., Wei, Y., Chen, Y., Han, S., Wang, C., Zhang, Y., Song, X., and Cheng, J. (2023). Altered static and dynamic functional connectivity of habenula in first-episode, drug-na\u00efve schizophrenia patients, and their association with symptoms including hallucination and anxiety. Front. Psychiatry, 14.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2023.1078779"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"636","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2017.00636","article-title":"Altered Volume and Functional Connectivity of the Habenula in Schizo-phrenia","volume":"11","author":"Zhang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front Hum. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1001\/archgenpsychiatry.2010.199","article-title":"Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes: A Longitudinal Study of First-Episode Schizophrenia","volume":"68","author":"Ho","year":"2011","journal-title":"Arch. Gen. Psychiatry"}],"container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/15\/9\/914\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:32:36Z","timestamp":1760034756000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/15\/9\/914"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]}},"alternative-id":["brainsci15090914"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/brainsci15090914","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]]}}}