INTERREGIONAL CORRELATION OF CEREBRAL GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN UNMEDICATED SCHIZOPHRENIA

To investigate metabolic relationships between different brain regions in schizophrenia, we measured regional brain metabolism using positro n emission tomography (PET) and [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in 15 u nmedicated schizophrenic patients and 15 healthy subjects. We analyzed correlations between glucose metabolism data of multiple brain region s using factorial analysis and correlation coefficient comparisons. Ab solute regional intercorrelations in schizophrenic brains were found t o be significantly stronger than in controls, in relationship to the g reater variability of metabolic rates in schizophrenic patients. Varia bility of normalized metabolic rates and regional intercorrelations we re not significantly different between schizophrenic patients and cont rol subjects. We conclude that a global metabolic factor accounts for the variability of metabolic data in untreated schizophrenia.