ALTERED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RCBF IN DIFFERENT BRAIN-REGIONS OF NEVER-TREATED SCHIZOPHRENICS

Aim of this study was to investigate the relations between regional ce rebral blood flow (rCBF) of different brain regions in acute schizophr enia and following neuroleptic treatment. Methods: Twenty-two never-tr eated, acute schizophrenic patients were examined with HMPAO brain SPE CT and assessed psychopathologically, and reexamined following neurole ptic treatment (over 96.8 days) and psychopathological remission. rCBF was determined by region/cerebellar count quotients obtained from 98 irregular regions of interest (ROIs), summed up to 11 ROIs on each hem isphere. In acute schizophrenics, interregional rCBF correlations of e ach ROI to every other ROI were compared to the interregional correlat ions following neuroleptic treatment and to those of controls. Results : All significant correlations of rCBF ratios of different brain regio ns were exclusively positive in controls and patients. In controls, ai l ROIs of one hemisphere except the mesial temporal ROI correlated sig nificantly to its contralateral ROI. Each hemisphere showed significan t frontal-temporal correlations, as well as cortical-subcortical and s ome cortico-limbic. in contrast, in acute schizophrenics nearly every ROI correlated significantly with every other ROI, without a grouping or relation of the rCBF of certain ROIs as in controls. After neurolep tic treatment and clinical improvement, this diffuse pattern of correl ations remained. Conclusions: These results indicate differences in th e neuronal interplay between regions in schizophrenic and healthy subj ects. In never-treated schizophrenics, diffuse interregional rCBF corr elations can be seen as a sign of change and dysfunction of the system s regulating specificity and diversity of the neuronal functions. Neur oleptic therapy and psychopathologic remission showed no normalizing e ffect on interregional correlations.