Visualizing fronto-striatal circuitry and neuroleptic effects in schizophrenia

Disturbances in fronto-striatal circuitry have been postulated to be import ant in schizophrenia. Positron emission tomography typically shows decrease d metabolic rates in these areas relative to other brain areas in schizophr enia. After treatment with typical neuroleptics, striatal metabolic rates a re increased, but other brain areas tend not to show significant changes. A typical neuroleptics less markedly affect striatal metabolic rates, but sho w wider cortical effects. In order to examine fronto-striatal circuitry, a technique for visualizing the correlations between metabolic rates in all b rain areas was applied in 33 controls and 27 unmedicated schizophrenic pati ents. Correlation images revealed strong fronto-striatal connections in con trols, but weak fronto-striatal links in schizophrenic patients. Changes in striatal circuits, also reflected in recent anatomical studies, may be imp ortant for understanding antipsychotic effects.