title: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the anterior cingulate region in schizophrenia.
abstract: The authors measured N-acetylaspartate (NAA, a putative neuronal marker), choline and creatine in the anterior cingulate region of 26 schizophrenic patients and 16 control subjects using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H MRSI). Relative to the control group, the patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significantly lower NAA in both the right and left anterior cingulate regions. There was no association between NAA and duration of illness or medication dosage. No group differences or lateralized asymmetries in choline or creatine were noted. The NAA findings provide support for either neuronal dysfunction or neuronal loss in the anterior cingulate region in schizophrenia. The absence of choline signal elevation does not support accelerated turnover of membrane phospholipids which might be expected if there were ongoing neuronal atrophy or neuronal necrosis.
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Deicken
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schuff
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline