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Twenty-seven chronic schizophrenics and nineteen controls, all male, were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) scans. Lateral, third and fourth ventricles and cerebral density numbers were measured. In the schizophrenic patients there was a significant increase in third ventricle width, Ventricular Brain Ratio (VBR) and there were significantly higher densities of white matter in the right frontal and parietal region.

The relationship between ventricular brain ratio (VBR) and clinical variables was investigated in 21 DSM-III depressed patients. None of the following dichotomies--major depression vs. dysthymic disorder, suicidal vs. non-suicidal patients, male vs. female patients--showed any statistically significant differences. An association was identified between VBR and age at onset of depression but when current age was controlled such an association failed to reach a statistically significant level except in the group with major depression. When patients were matched with a control group no differences in VBR were seen with age controlled by decade.