Claustrum Morphometry Reveals Spatially Heterogeneous Alterations in 22q11DS

Longitudinal surface-based morphometry of the human claustrum in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) shows spatially heterogeneous, hemisphere- and age-specific deformation and thickness changes, unlike controls.

• Why it matters: Global claustrum volume can mask regionally specific morphological alterations that may relate to developmental and pathological variation and working-memory vulnerability in 22q11DS.
• What they did: Analyzing 874 scans from 440 individuals aged 5–35 years, the study compared typical development with 22q11DS using longitudinal surface deformation and thickness analyses, and tested associations with working memory performance.
• The result: Controls showed dorsoventral, clustered age-related surface deformation with dorsal-anterior thinning and ventral thickening, while 22q11DS showed less age-related deformation in the left claustrum and a weaker claustrum–working memory association, statistically equivalent to zero in carriers.