[The study of regional cerebral blood flow in psychiatric disorders]

Regional cerebral blood flow is a radiological technique which is safe, non-invasive and relatively cheap. This method allows to assess changes in brain metabolism in patients with psychiatric pathology. The specific changes have been found in regional cerebral blood flow in patients with schizophrenia, affective disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder as well as alcohol withdrawal and dependence. Advantages and disadvantages of this technique are discussed.