Frontolimbic glutamate alterations in first episode schizophrenia: evidence from a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
Glutamatergic dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this study we performed absolute-quantification short-echo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in nine patients with first episode schizophrenia and 32 group-matched control subjects to test the hypothesis of glutamatergic dysfunction at disease onset. Regions of interest were the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the left hippocampus. In the patient group absolute concentrations of glutamate were significantly higher in the prefrontal cortex and near-significantly higher in the hippocampus. The glutamate signals significantly correlated with rating scores for schizophreniform symptoms. Absolute-quantification [1H]MRS can reveal glutamatergic abnormalities which might play an important role in the pathogenesis and course of schizophrenia.
Olbrich
Hans M
HM
Section for Experimental NeuroPsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.
Valerius
Gabriele
G
Rüsch
Nicolas
N
Buchert
Martin
M
Thiel
Thorsten
T
Hennig
Jürgen
J
Ebert
Dieter
D
Van Elst
Ludger Tebartz
LT
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
D018698:Glutamic Acid