Characteristic brain hypoperfusion by 99mTc-ECD single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with the first-episode schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we evaluated brain perfusion in patients with first-episode medicated schizophrenia using the new analytical method, statistical parametric mapping (SPM) applied to single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).


METHODS
We performed SPECT with 99-Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) of the brain and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with schizophrenia (n=30) and control subjects matched for age and gender (n=37). A voxel-by-voxel group analysis was performed using SPM2 (Z>3.0, P<0.001, uncorrected for multiple comparisons).


RESULTS
In comparison with control subjects, the volumes of the bilateral frontal areas were found to be decreased on MRI. Blood flow was found to be reduced in the bilateral temporal areas in the patients with schizophrenia on SPECT.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, patients with first-episode schizophrenia appeared to have significant bilateral temporal hypoperfusion, although temporal volumes were not significantly decreased in comparison with control subjects. Abnormality of temporal lobe blood flow in schizophrenia may show that functional changes occur earlier than structural changes, and may assist in the diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Wake
R
R
Department of Psychiatry, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1, Enyacho, Izumo 693-8501, Japan. rei@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Miyaoka
T
T
Kawakami
K
K
Tsuchie
K
K
Inagaki
T
T
Horiguchi
J
J
Yamamoto
Y
Y
Hayashi
T
T
Kitagaki
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012559:Schizophrenia; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C059659:technetium Tc 99m bicisate; D003545:Cysteine