Regional cerebral blood flow in first-episode schizophrenia patients before and after antipsychotic drug treatment. Scottish Schizophrenia Research Group

Abstract

A total of 38 patients in a first presentation of schizophrenia prior to drug treatment underwent a single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scanning programme whilst undertaking a verbal fluency task. Their scans were compared with those of 38 normal volunteer controls matched for age, sex and father's social class. Schizophrenic patients displayed a trend towards a reduced blood flow in comparison with controls. Comparing right with left hemispheres, asymmetrical blood flow patterns were more likely to be found in patients in frontal regions than elsewhere. When 27 of the 38 patients underwent a repeat SPECT scanning programme after receiving 6 months of antipsychotic drug treatment, the hypofrontal blood flow pattern persisted. Increased blood flow was observed bilaterally in the putamen. The more symmetrical blood flow pattern of the patients compared to the control subjects did not alter substantially.