title: The use of PET imaging in studying cognition, genetics and pharmacotherapeutic interventions in schizophrenia.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) offers a strategic imaging platform to provide a map of functional neural correlates associated with the underlying cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. It enables regional cerebral glucose metabolism and dopaminergic and serotonergic receptor function to be studied. PET neuroimaging can therefore be used in drug development and to study putative treatments. Recent PET studies of the first-generation antipsychotics flupentixol and haloperidol, and of the second-generation antipsychotics risperidone, aripiprazole, quetiapine, sertindole, ziprasidone, paliperidone and olanzapine, have been carried out; modulation of limbic circuitry has been found to be a predictor of treatment response. PET can also be used to predict and monitor likely extrapyramidal side effects from antipsychotic treatment. PET and neuropsychological testing can together also allow the study of putative molecular genetic changes associated with schizophrenia. Advances in the imaging, cognition and molecular genetics are likely to lead to the development of future diagnostics, treatments and novel pharmacological agents.
authors.affiliation: Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, MD, USA. nora.vyas@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nora S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Neva H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Kuldip S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nijran
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Nahhas
authors.forename: Basant K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Puri
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents