PET study of greater visual activation in schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The authors tested the hypothesis that photic visual stimuli cause a greater blood flow activation response in subjects with schizophrenia than in normal subjects.


METHODS
Eleven medicated patients with schizophrenia and 10 normal subjects were studied with [15O]H2O positron emission tomography to measure perfusion during photic stimulation at four different rates.


RESULTS
The activation at three out of four rates of visual stimulation was greater for the patients with schizophrenia than it was for the normal subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Further investigation into the mechanisms of activation during sensory stimulation in schizophrenia is warranted.
Taylor
S F
SF
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Tandon
R
R
Koeppe
R A
RA
D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D000086:Acetazolamide