31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of schizophrenics with a volume selective technique--preliminary findings.

Pettegrew et al (Arch Gen Psychiatry 48:563-568, 1991) were the first to determine abnormalities concerning phospholipids and high energy metabolites in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of drug-naive schizophrenics with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Other investigations could not replicate these findings. We included in our study 13 schizophrenic inpatients and 14 age-matched controls. Whereas Pettegrew et al found increased levels of phosphodiesters and decreased levels of phosphomonoesters we measured decreased levels of phosphodiesters in the schizophrenics as compared to controls. One possible explanation for the contradictory findings of the both trials might be the different localization techniques used.