title: Loss of asymmetry in D2 receptors of putamen in unaffected family members at increased genetic risk for schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dopamine dysregulation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The present study was performed to examine whether unaffected relatives at high genetic risk of schizophrenia have dopamine dysregulation in comparison with healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven unaffected relatives from families with two or more first- or second-degree relatives with schizophrenia (n = 9) or with a monozygotic schizophrenic twin (n = 2) and 11 age- and sex-matched controls were examined using positron emission tomography (PET) with [(11)C] raclopride. Subjects also underwent extensive neuropsychological testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with high genetic risk showed a loss of asymmetry of D(2) receptors in the putamen in comparison with healthy controls. In addition, they showed significantly poorer performance on neuropsychological tests than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that dopamine dysregulation and neuropsychological dysfunction may be present in subjects at high genetic risk of schizophrenia. However, further studies are required to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: C U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Correll
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011699:Putamen / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2