Striatal dysfunction in schizophrenia and unaffected relatives.
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia has been frequently associated with impaired inhibitory control. Such control is known to involve the striatum. Here, we investigate whether impaired inhibitory control is associated with abnormal striatal activation in schizophrenia. First-degree relatives of patients were also tested to examine whether striatal abnormality is associated with schizophrenia, or with the risk for the illness.


METHODS
Both functional MRI and behavioral data were acquired during a task designed to invoke inhibitory control in 21 patients, 15 unaffected siblings, and 36 matched controls. Subjects must refrain from responding to designated stop cues occurring within a series of motor cues. Subjects could anticipate the occurrence of stop cues as the likelihood of these cues increased in a linear fashion throughout the task.


RESULTS
Control subjects showed striatal activation while responding to motor cues. This activation increased in a linear fashion when the likelihood of having to inhibit the response was increased. Both patients siblings did not show anticipation-related increase in either striatal activation. However, only patients showed behavioral impairments.


CONCLUSIONS
Striatal abnormalities occur in schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings. Thus striatal abnormalities may be related to an increased (genetic) risk to develop schizophrenia.
Vink
Matthijs
M
Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Ramsey
Nick F
NF
Raemaekers
Mathijs
M
Kahn
René S
RS
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D035781:Siblings
D010100:Oxygen