BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is commonly considered a neurodevelopmental disorder. Our aim was to determine whether the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic (1H-MRS) changes seen in adults with schizophrenia are displayed in children at risk for developing schizophrenia. METHODS: Children with symptoms of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 16; mean age = 132 months) and a comparison group (n = 12; mean age 130 months) took part in a 1H-MRS study of the left frontal lobe. Areas of peaks from N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cre) were determined and ratios of NAA/Cre and Cho/Cre calculated and compared between groups. RESULTS: The mean ratio of NAA/Cre was significantly lower in schizophrenia-spectrum subjects than the comparison group (1.67 vs. 1.92; p < .05). Medication status did not affect results in schizophrenia-spectrum subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the metabolic changes associated with adult schizophrenia are observed in children with some or all of the symptoms of schizophrenia, supporting a neurodevelopmental theory for schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND:Schizophrenia is commonly considered a neurodevelopmental disorder. Our aim was to determine whether the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic (1H-MRS) changes seen in adults with schizophrenia are displayed in children at risk for developing schizophrenia. METHODS:Children with symptoms of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (n = 16; mean age = 132 months) and a comparison group (n = 12; mean age 130 months) took part in a 1H-MRS study of the left frontal lobe. Areas of peaks from N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cre) were determined and ratios of NAA/Cre and Cho/Cre calculated and compared between groups. RESULTS: The mean ratio of NAA/Cre was significantly lower in schizophrenia-spectrum subjects than the comparison group (1.67 vs. 1.92; p < .05). Medication status did not affect results in schizophrenia-spectrum subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the metabolic changes associated with adult schizophrenia are observed in children with some or all of the symptoms of schizophrenia, supporting a neurodevelopmental theory for schizophrenia.
Authors: Ronald R Seese; Joseph O'Neill; Matthew Hudkins; Prabha Siddarth; Jennifer Levitt; Ben Tseng; Keng Nei Wu; Rochelle Caplan Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2011-08-27 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Jeffrey A Stanley; Madhuri Vemulapalli; Jeffrey Nutche; Debra M Montrose; John A Sweeney; Jay W Pettegrew; Frank P MacMaster; Matcheri S Keshavan Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2007-05-10 Impact factor: 4.939