[Background and findings of neuroimaging in schizophrenia: an update].
BACKGROUND
Neuroimaging of psychiatric disorders, especially on schizophrenia, has been increased in the last decade. Different brain imaging techniques have become a useful tool to discover the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.


OBJECTIVE
To describe scientific and historical background of neuroimaging in psychiatry, and to describe the current structural, functional and neurochemical findings in schizophrenia using brain imaging techniques, and their potential disadvantages.


METHODS
This review synthesizes our current knowledge on the neurobiology of psychosis, reviewing studies including structural (magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging), functional (PET and SPECT, functional magnetic resonance imaging) and neurochemical/transmission (neurochemical PET and SPECT, magnetic resonance spectroscopy) neuroimaging techniques on schizophrenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive impairment, structural and functional disturbances, dopaminergic hypothesis, white matter changes, and any other findings, have been reported. Nevertheless, there are still many doubts and discrepancies to solve, regarding to neuroimaging in schizophrenia. Coupling multimodal imaging with genetics and pharmacotherapeutic studies will further assist in understanding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Departamento de Psiquiatría, Unidad de Agudos, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, España. jcuevas_esteban@yahoo.es
Jorge
J
Cuevas-Esteban
Antonio
A
Campayo
Leticia
L
Gutiérrez-Galve
Patricia
P
Gracia-García
Raúl
R
López-Antón
D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods