Focal changes in brain energy and phospholipid metabolism in first-episode schizophrenia: 31P-MRS chemical shift imaging study at 4 Tesla.
BACKGROUND
Membrane phospholipid and high-energy abnormalities measured with phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia in several brain regions.


OBJECTIVE
Using improved imaging techniques, previously inaccessible brain regions were examined in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and healthy volunteers with 4.0 T (31)P-MRS.


METHODS
Brain spectra were collected in vivo from 15 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 15 healthy volunteers from 15 cm(3) effective voxels in the thalamus, cerebellum, hippocampus, anterior/posterior cingulate, prefrontal cortex and parieto-occipital cortex.


RESULTS
People with first-episode schizophrenia showed increased levels of glycerophosphocholine in the anterior cingulate. Inorganic phosphate, phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate concentrations were also increased in the anterior cingulate in this group.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased phosphodiester and high-energy phosphate levels in the anterior cingulate of brains of people with first-episode schizophrenia may indicate neural overactivity in this region during the early stages of the illness, resulting in increased excitotoxic neural membrane breakdown.
Jensen
J Eric
JE
Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478-9106, USA. ejensen@mclean.harvard.edu
Miller
Jodi
J
Williamson
Peter C
PC
Neufeld
Richard W J
RW
Menon
Ravi S
RS
Malla
Ashok
A
Manchanda
Rahul
R
Schaefer
Betsy
B
Densmore
Maria
M
Drost
Dick J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism*
D010743:Phospholipids