Metabolic disconnection between the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus and cortical Brodmann's areas of the left hemisphere in schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to examine interregional correlations of thalamocortical metabolic activity during a verbal learning task in schizophrenia.


METHODS
They used [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in 41 unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and 59 normal comparison subjects.


RESULTS
A metabolic disconnection was observed in patients with schizophrenia in the left hemisphere between the mediodorsal nucleus and widespread frontotemporal cortical regions, and stronger-than-normal intercorrelations were found between the pulvinar and superior temporal, selected parietal, posterior cingulate, and occipital areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Deficits in the functional interrelationships between the left frontotemporal cortices and the left mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus complement inferences from postmortem and magnetic resonance imaging volumetric studies identifying a thalamic diathesis in schizophrenia.
Mitelman
Serge A
SA
Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience-PET Laboratory, Box 1505, Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA. serge.mitelman@mssm.edu
Byne
William
W
Kemether
Eileen M
EM
Hazlett
Erin A
EA
Buchsbaum
Monte S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020645:Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose