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Physiological dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia revisited
J H Callicott1, A Bertolino, V S Mattay
1Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, IRP, NIMH Laboratory of Diagnostic Radiology Research, CC, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-1389, USA. callicoj@intra.nimh.nih.gov
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|October 29, 2000
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show exaggerated and inefficient prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity during working memory tasks, linked to neuronal pathology. This suggests abnormal PFC function in schizophrenia stems from underlying neuronal deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Subtle prefrontal cortex (PFC) neuronal pathology is implicated in schizophrenia.
- The physiological manifestation of this pathology in neuroimaging remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate PFC function in schizophrenia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To examine working memory (WM) performance and its relationship with PFC activity in patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a parametric n-back working memory task with fMRI.
- Measured N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentrations in the dorsal PFC via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
- Compared fMRI activation patterns and WM performance between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited greater PFC fMRI activation with slightly impaired WM performance, indicating physiological inefficiency.
- Correlations between WM performance and dorsal PFC fMRI activation differed significantly between groups.
- Lower dorsal PFC N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentrations in patients predicted abnormal fMRI responses, linking pathology to function.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal dorsal PFC fMRI responses in schizophrenia are associated with underlying neuronal pathology.
- Schizophrenia can manifest as exaggerated and inefficient cortical activity in the dorsal PFC.
- These findings highlight the link between neuronal deficits and functional impairments in schizophrenia.