Reduced concentrations of thalamic N-acetylaspartate in male patients withschizophrenia

Objective: The authors measured N-acetylaspartate (a putative neuronal mark er) in the right and left thalamus of 17 male patients with schizophrenia u sing in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (H-1 MRSI), Me thod: 1H MRSI was performed on 17 medicated male patients with schizophreni a and 10 male comparison subjects, Concentrations of N-acetylaspartate, cre atine, and choline were determined in the thalamic regions bilaterally, Res ults: The patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significantly lower conc entrations of N-acetylaspartate than the comparison subjects in both the ri ght and left thalamic regions. Right thalamic N-acetylaspartate and left th alamic N-acetylaspartate were significantly correlated in the patients but not in the comparison subjects, There was no association between N-acetylas partate and duration of illness or medication dose. No group differences or lateralized asymmetries in choline or creatine were noted. Conclusions: Th e finding of reduced concentrations of N-acetylaspartate bilaterally sugges ts neuronal dysfunction and/or loss in both the right and left thalamic reg ions in male patients with schizophrenia.