(31)PHOSPHORUS MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY OF THE FRONTAL AND PARIETAL LOBES IN CHRONIC-SCHIZOPHRENIA

In vivo (31)Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (P-31 MRSI) was performed on 20 chronic schizophrenic patients and 16 normal controls to determine if there were specific changes in high energy p hosphorous and phospholipid metabolism in the frontal lobes of schizop hrenic patients. Phosphorous metabolites were assessed in each of the left and right frontal as well as the left and right parietal lobes. F rontal lobe phosphorous metabolites were also correlated with severity of psychiatric symptomatology as assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Ra ting Scale (BPRS). Schizophrenics demonstrated higher phosphodiesters (PDE) and lower phosphocreatine (PCr) in both the left and right front al regions compared to controls. There was also lower left frontal ino rganic phosphate (Pi) in the schizophrenic group. No group differences were noted in the left or right parietal regions. In addition, right frontal PDE and right frontal PCr were highly correlated with the host ility-suspiciousness and anxiety-depression subscales of the BPRS. Thi s study provides further support for altered frontal lobe phosphorous metabolism in schizophrenia.