Anterior cingulate activation in antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia.
Anterior cingulate (ACC) hypo-activity is commonly observed in chronically ill schizophrenia patients. However, it is unclear whether this is secondary to persistent illness and/or medication.


METHODS
We examined eight antipsychotic-naïve first-episode patients and matched healthy controls undergoing PET scanning while performing the Stroop task.


RESULTS
Group-averaged and single-subject analyses showed ACC activation in both controls and patients, albeit in different sub-regions (paracingulate and cingulate respectively). A direct comparison revealed relative under-activity of the left paracingulate cortex in patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the more pervasive hypo-activation observed in chronic patients may be secondary to persistent illness and/or medication.
Yücel
M
M
Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC 3053, Australia. murat@unimelb.edu.au
Brewer
W J
WJ
Harrison
B J
BJ
Fornito
A
A
O'Keefe
G J
GJ
Olver
J
J
Scott
A M
AM
Egan
G F
GF
Velakoulis
D
D
McGorry
P D
PD
Pantelis
C
C
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents