Acute d-amphetamine challenge in schizophrenia: effects on cerebral glucose utilization and clinical symptomatology

The effects of d-amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg orally) on regional cerebral glucose utilization were measured with positron emission tomography (PET) in 17 schizophrenics (along with a placebo-control group of an additional six schizophrenic patients). The acute d-amphetamine challenge tended to decrease glucose utilization throughout much of the brain, with a regional effect that was statistically significant in the left temporal cortex. There was no apparent relationship between the effects of amphetamine-induced changes in regional cerebral metabolism and psychotic symptom exacerbation. An exploratory analysis suggested that features characteristic of Crow's type II syndrome were significant predictors of cerebral hyporesponsivity to stimulant challenge, however.