Abstract
Objective: The authors used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) to assess potential reductions of N-acetylaspartate (a marker of neuronal integrity) in the hippocampal area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophreniform disorder. In addition, they assessed the relationship between N-acetylaspartate levels and working memory deficits. Method: Twenty-four patients with DSM-IV schizophreniform disorder and 24 healthy subjects were studied. Subjects underwent 1H-MRSI and were given the N-back working memory test. Results: The schizophreniform disorder patients had selective reductions of N-acetylaspartate ratios in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and a positive correlation was seen between N-acetylaspartate ratios in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and performance during the 2-back working memory condition. Conclusions: Similar to findings reported in schizophrenia studies, N-acetylaspartate reductions in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were seen in patients with schizophreniform disorder. Moreover, the results support other evidence that neuronal pathology in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex accounts for a proportion of working memory deficits already present at illness outset.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 483-489 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | American Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 160 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2003 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Working memory deficits and levels of N-acetylaspartate in patients with schizophreniform disorder. / Bertolino, Alessandro; Sciota, Domenico; Brudaglio, Flora; Altamura, Mario; Blasi, Giuseppe; Bellomo, Antonello; Antonucci, Nicola; Callicott, Joseph H.; Goldberg, Terry E.; Scarabino, Tommaso; Weinberger, Daniel; Nardini, Marcello.
In: American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 160, No. 3, 03.2003, p. 483-489.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Working memory deficits and levels of N-acetylaspartate in patients with schizophreniform disorder
AU - Bertolino, Alessandro
AU - Sciota, Domenico
AU - Brudaglio, Flora
AU - Altamura, Mario
AU - Blasi, Giuseppe
AU - Bellomo, Antonello
AU - Antonucci, Nicola
AU - Callicott, Joseph H.
AU - Goldberg, Terry E.
AU - Scarabino, Tommaso
AU - Weinberger, Daniel
AU - Nardini, Marcello
PY - 2003/3
Y1 - 2003/3
N2 - Objective: The authors used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) to assess potential reductions of N-acetylaspartate (a marker of neuronal integrity) in the hippocampal area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophreniform disorder. In addition, they assessed the relationship between N-acetylaspartate levels and working memory deficits. Method: Twenty-four patients with DSM-IV schizophreniform disorder and 24 healthy subjects were studied. Subjects underwent 1H-MRSI and were given the N-back working memory test. Results: The schizophreniform disorder patients had selective reductions of N-acetylaspartate ratios in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and a positive correlation was seen between N-acetylaspartate ratios in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and performance during the 2-back working memory condition. Conclusions: Similar to findings reported in schizophrenia studies, N-acetylaspartate reductions in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were seen in patients with schizophreniform disorder. Moreover, the results support other evidence that neuronal pathology in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex accounts for a proportion of working memory deficits already present at illness outset.
AB - Objective: The authors used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) to assess potential reductions of N-acetylaspartate (a marker of neuronal integrity) in the hippocampal area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophreniform disorder. In addition, they assessed the relationship between N-acetylaspartate levels and working memory deficits. Method: Twenty-four patients with DSM-IV schizophreniform disorder and 24 healthy subjects were studied. Subjects underwent 1H-MRSI and were given the N-back working memory test. Results: The schizophreniform disorder patients had selective reductions of N-acetylaspartate ratios in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and a positive correlation was seen between N-acetylaspartate ratios in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and performance during the 2-back working memory condition. Conclusions: Similar to findings reported in schizophrenia studies, N-acetylaspartate reductions in the hippocampal area and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were seen in patients with schizophreniform disorder. Moreover, the results support other evidence that neuronal pathology in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex accounts for a proportion of working memory deficits already present at illness outset.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037362598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037362598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.3.483
DO - 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.3.483
M3 - Article
C2 - 12611829
AN - SCOPUS:0037362598
VL - 160
SP - 483
EP - 489
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0002-953X
IS - 3
ER -