Objects:
@EN It has been reported that some schizophrenics have structural abnormalities of the prefrontal lobe by magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) provides noninvasive in vivo assessment of brain tissue composition and
metabolic
processes. Thus, using localized, water suppressed in vivo 1H MRS it has become possible to monitor a number of proton metabolites including putative neurotransmitter amino acids that may be implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
In this study we used 1H MRS to investigate the proton metabolites differences of the both prefrontal cortex between schizophrenics and normal controls, and to examine if there would be a difference of proton metabolites before and after
treatment
in
schizophrenics.
@ES Methods:
@EN The subjects consisted of 24 hospitalized patients who fulfilled criteria for chronic schizophrenia by DSM-IV. All subjects were further interviewed to rate the severity of clinical symptoms on Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS), and
Positive
and
Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS). The follow-up evaluations were performed eight to twelve weeks after treatment for 19 patients whose BPRS scores moderately decreased. All were examined with localized in vivo 1H MR spectroscopy in both prefronal
lobes to
measure proton metabolites and their change possibly associated with treatment.
@ES Results:
@EN The results were as follows:
1) The spectral features of some distinct proton metabolites such as N-acetyl aspartate(NAA), inositol, creatine/phosphocreatine(Cr), choline-containing compounds, glutamate(Glu), gamma aminobutyric acid(GABA) were clearly identified in both
schizophrenics and healthy controls.
2) The schizophrenics had significantly higher ratios of(GABA+Glu)/Cr compared to controls(ANOVAR, F=18.63, p=0.0001). However, a significant decrease in NAA/Cr ratio was found in schizophrenics(ANOVAR, F=9.05, P=0.005).
3) There were no significant differences in proton metabolites between the right and the left in the schizophrenic group and control group.
4) The comparsion of ratio before and after treatment showed that(GABA+Glu)/Cr ratio was significantly decreased after treatment(ANOVAR, F=10.34, P=0.027). However, there were no significant differences in ratios of other proton metabolites.
5) No relationships were noted between proton metabolites and psychopathology on either BPRS and PANSS.
@ES Concusions;
@EN In light of our results, it seems likely that the decrease of NAA/Cr ratio which would be closely associated with neuronal damage supports the hypofrontality hypothesis, and clinical symptoms would be related to the change of GABA or
glutamate.
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