Using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography (PET),
the authors examined the regional brain glucose metabolism of six patients
with chronic schizophrenia, six patients with chronic depression, and 12
normal control subjects. Three schizophrenic and four depressive patients
had CAT scans that showed enlarged ventricles (ventricle-brain ratios
higher than 9.0) and widened sylvian fissures. The PET scans of the
schizophrenic and depressed patients did not differ significantly from
those of the age-matched controls, and a previously reported metabolic
"hypofrontality" was not confirmed. The patients with enlarged ventricles
and widened sylvian fissures tended to have lower global metabolism.Abstract Teaser