Cerebral phosphate metabolism in first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Most phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) studies have described measures of lower membrane anabolism or greater catabolism in the frontal lobes of patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether these findings can also be detected in young subjects at genetic risk for schizophrenia.


METHODS
Fourteen children and siblings of patients with schizophrenia (mean age=16.7 years) and 14 comparison subjects (mean age=16.9 years) were included in a (31)P-MRS study of the frontal lobe.


RESULTS
The high-risk subjects had significantly lower mean ratios of phosphomonoesters to phosphodiesters (0.25 versus 0.31) and higher mean phosphodiester values (37.59% versus 34.87%) than comparison subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest greater phospholipid breakdown even in young first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia. This suggestion is discussed with respect to the membrane phospholipid hypothesis of schizophrenia.
Klemm
S
S
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Jena, Philosophenweg 3-5, D-07740 Jena, Germany. silke.klemm@med.uni-jena.de
Rzanny
R
R
Riehemann
S
S
Volz
H P
HP
Schmidt
B
B
Gerhard
U J
UJ
Filz
C
C
Schönberg
A
A
Mentzel
H J
HJ
Kaiser
W A
WA
Blanz
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D010710:Phosphates; D010743:Phospholipids; D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes; D010725:Phosphocreatine