SPECT neuroimaging in schizophrenia with religious delusions

Int J Psychophysiol. 2001 Mar;40(2):143-8. doi: 10.1016/s0167-8760(00)00159-8.

Abstract

Functional neuroimaging techniques such as single-positron emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) offer considerable scope for investigating disturbances of brain activity in psychiatric disorders. However, the heterogeneous nature of disorders such as schizophrenia limits the value of studies that group patients under this global label. Some have addressed this problem by considering schizophrenia at a syndromal level, but so far, few have focussed at the level of individual symptoms. We describe the first neuroimaging study of the specific symptom of religious delusions in schizophrenia. 99mTc HMPAO high-resolution SPECT neuroimaging showed an association of religious delusions with left temporal overactivation and reduced occipital uptake, particularly on the left.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Delusions / diagnostic imaging
  • Delusions / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Religion and Psychology*
  • Schizophrenia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime