AN FDG-PET STUDY ON THE REGIONAL METABOLISM OF THE BRAIN IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Abstract

Recent technological development has proved beyond doubt that schizophrenia is biological in nature. FDG-PET functional neuroimaging has now emerged as an important tool in the examination of the biological basis of the psychopathology of schizophrenia. FDG-PET scanning was performed on male patients with schizophrenia diagnosis, and all of them were in the state of active psychosis according to the PANSS scale in resting conditions. The uptake of glucose cerebrally in the different regions of interest was examined throughout the schizophrenia spectrum. There was no significant impact upon cerebral glucose metabolism by the chronicity or severity of the illness. The negative type of schizophrenia patients had a significant reduction in metabolism in all the brain regions as compared to the positive type. Conversely, positive syndrome of schizophrenia showed extensive elevation of glucose metabolism in the medial temporal areas, basal ganglia and left thalamus. The cerebellum also showed hypometabolism. Although several brain structures have been implicated as the possible causative regions, and theories on how they work have been put forward, the fact that schizophrenia is significantly heterogeneous makes it a big challenge to specifically describe the disease process.