Yasser Ragab MBBCh, MSc, MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Salwa Erfan MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hosny Mohammed Hamza MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Fatma Zenhom MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

to study the concentration of NAA, Cho and Cr contating compounds in frontal lobes hippocampi and thalami of schezophrenic patients and healthy subjects. To compare the relationship between ratios of matoblites and clinical variables (age, duration of illness type of scezophrenia, symptom severity.  

25 right handed scezophrenic inpatients (18 men 7 women) that met DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association 1994) criteria for scezophrenia were recruited. 20 right handed age matched subjects were recruited as controls. Patients and healthy controls were scanned using spectroscopic, anatomical and field map sequences using GE Signa 1.5 Tesla. The metobolite values from multiple voxel to derive estimates of NAA, Cr, and Cho. Metabolite concentration has been analysed in the frontal lobe. Hippocampal region, and thalamus bilaterally and expressed in ratios (NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and NAA/Cho)

upon comparison with healthy subjects NAA/Cr was significantly lower in the hippocampal region bilaterally and left frontal cortex. NAA/Cho was significantly lower in hippocampal region bilaterally and in the left thalamic region. There was no relationship between the metaboliteconcentration and duration of illness. NAA/Cr was significantly higher in the left hippocampal region of drug naïve scezophrenic patients. NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho were significantly higher in the left prerontal region of paranoid schezophrenics.

the reduced NAA/Cr might suggest a neurodegenerative process in the prefrontal and hippocampal regions of scezophrenic patients.

MRI spectoroscopy in Scezophrenia

Ragab, Y, Erfan, S, Hamza, H, Zenhom, F, Regional Assessment of Neurochemical Pathology by MRI Spectroscopy in Schezophrenia.  Radiological Society of North America 2009 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 29 - December 4, 2009 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2009/8004055.html