OBJECTIVE: The authors examined whether there are abnormalities in high-
energy phosphorous metabolism in the basal ganglia of schizophrenic
patients. METHOD: In vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was
performed on 18 chronic schizophrenic patients and 16 healthy comparison
subjects. The percentages of total phosphorous signal for
phosphomonoesters, inorganic phosphate, phosphodiesters, phosphocreatine,
and beta-ATP were calculated. RESULTS: The mean percentages of beta-ATP
signal in the right and left basal ganglia were significantly lower for the
schizophrenic patients than for the comparison group. No other group
differences in phosphorous metabolites and no lateral asymmetries in the
schizophrenic group were noted. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study
provides support for abnormal high- energy phosphorous metabolism in the
basal ganglia of schizophrenic patients.
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