CHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL BRAIN IMAGING IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Technologic advances in functional brain imaging have provided excitin g and informative insights into the functional neuroanatomy and neuroc hemistry of schizophrenia. Using MR spectroscopy, it has been possible to examine in vivo brain metabolism and to relate observed changes to physiological processes occurring at a cellular level. Positron emiss ion tomography and single photon emission computed tomography have rev ealed disturbances of cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in pa tients with schizophrenia. More recently, these tools have also proved most useful in studying the relative receptor occupancy of typical an d atypical antipsychotic medications.