1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy characterization of neuronal dysfunction in drug-naive, chronic schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the proton metabolism of right prefrontal white matter in drug-naive, chronic schizophrenic patients (n = 23), compared with healthy normal control subjects (n = 10), by using localized, water-suppressed in vivo 1H magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy.


METHODS
All 1H MR spectroscopy examinations were performed on a 1.5-T MR imaging/MR spectroscopy system by using a point-resolved spectroscopy pulse sequence for localized volumes of 2 x 2 x 2 cm3. Proton metabolite ratios relative to creatine (Cr) were obtained using a Marquart algorithm.


RESULTS
Drug-naive, chronic schizophrenic patients demonstrated a decrease in the N-acetylaspartate (NAA):Cr and choline (Cho):Cr ratios and an increase of the complex of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu)-containing ratio [(GABA + Glu):Cr] as compared with normal control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the reduction of NAA and Cho may indicate neuronal dysfunction and that the elevation of GABA and Glu may play a role in chronic schizophrenia. 1H MR spectroscopy may be a useful modality in research and in the clinical evaluation of chronic schizophrenic patients.
Choe
B Y
BY
Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
K T
KT
Suh
T S
TS
Lee
C
C
Paik
I H
IH
Bahk
Y W
YW
Shinn
K S
KS
Lenkinski
R E
RE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*