Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study on prefrontal lobe and thalamus in schizophrenia with or without mental disorder family history

Abstract

Objective To compare the metabolic measures on prefrontal lobe and thalamus among schizophrenics with or without mental disorder family history by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS),and to explore the relationship among metabolic measures,clinical symptom,and executive functioning.Methods Thirty-one schizophrenics with schizophrenia family history,21 schizophrenics with the other mental disorder family history,and 78 schizophrenics without mental disorder family history were examined at prefrontal lobe and thalamus by multi-voxel 1H-MRS.The N-acetylaspartate (NAA),Choline-congtaining compounds (Cho),and Creatine compounds (Cr) were measured and the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were determined.Meanwhile,Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were also assessed in all schizophrenics.Results Both in schizophrenics with schizophrenia family history and with the other mental disorder family history,the NAA/Cr ratios showed lower than those in schizophrenics without mental disorder family history both on left prefrontal lobe and on fight thalamus ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Compared with schizophrenics without mental disorder family history,the score of negative symptoms and the perseverative errors demonstrated higher ( P＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ),the categories completed showed lower both in schizophrenics with schizophrenia family history and with the other mental disorder family history ( P＜0.05 ).The NAA/Cr ratios on left prefrontal lobe in all schizophrenics were significantly negatively related with the total score of PANSS and the responses errors (P ＜ 0.05 or P＜ 0.01 ),and positively related with the categories completed and the conceptual level responses ( P＜ 0.05 or P＜ 0.01 ).On left prefrontal lobe both in schizophrenics with schizophrenia family history and with the other mental disorder family history,the ratios of NAA/Cr were negatively related with the score of negative symptoms and the perseverative errors ( P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ).Conclusion The damages of neurons on prefrontal lobe and thalamus in schizophrenics with mental disorder family history may be more severe than those in schizophrenics without family history,and the damages on prefrontal lobe are related with negative symptoms and executive functioning. Key words: Schizophrenia; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Family history; N-acetylaspartate