title: 3-T proton MRS investigation of glutamate and glutamine in adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glutamate and glutamine were examined in vivo in nonpsychotic adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia by using 3-T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Spectra from the right medial frontal lobe of 20 adolescents who had a parent with schizophrenia (high-risk group; mean age=16.4 years) were compared with spectra obtained from adolescent offspring of parents with no history of schizophrenia (low-risk group; mean age=16.7 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glutamate/glutamine was significantly higher in the adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia than in the low-risk offspring. Age, premorbid adjustment scale scores, and other (1)H-MRS metabolites did not differ between groups. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale scores and socioeconomic status were lower in the high-risk group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of glutamate/glutamine abnormalities in a group of subjects at high genetic risk for schizophrenia lends support for both the glutamate dysfunction and neurodevelopmental hypotheses for schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ptibbo@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tibbo
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanstock
authors.forename: Agitha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valiakalayil
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid