AN IN-VIVO STUDY OF THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX OF SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF ILLNESS VIA PHOSPHORUS MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

Background: In this study, phospholipid metabolism of cell membranes, high-energy phosphate metabolism, and intracellular free magnesium con centration in the prefrontal cortex of first-episode drug-naive schizo phrenic patients and medicated schizophrenic patients at different sta ges of illness were compared with those of controls. Methods: Localize d in vivo phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectra of the left dorsola teral prefrontal cortex of 11 drug-naive, eight newly diagnosed medica ted, and 10 chronic medicated patients with schizophrenia were compare d with controls of similar gender, education, parental education, and handedness. Results: Significantly decreased levels of phosphomonoeste rs in drug-naive, newly diagnosed medicated, and chronic medicated pat ients and significantly increased levels of phosphodiesters in drug-na ive patients were observed when compared with controls. There were no significant differences in the levels of high-energy phosphate metabol ites between the groups except for a significant decrease in the inorg anic orthophosphate levels of newly diagnosed medicated patients. A si gnificant increase in the intracellular free magnesium concentration w as observed in drug-naive, newly diagnosed medicated, and chronic medi cated patients compared with controls. There were no correlations betw een the patients' negative and positive symptoms and the observed phos phorus-containing metabolites. Conclusions: A reduction in precursors of membrane phospholipid are observed during the early and chronic sta ges of the schizophrenia illness, and breakdown products of membrane p hospholipids are increased at the early stage of illness before medica tion treatment.