Abstract
Schizophrenia is characterized by altered prefrontal activity and elevated striatal dopaminergic function. To investigate the relationship between these abnormalitie s in the prodromal phase of the illness, we combined functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and 18 F-Dopa Positron Emission Tomography. When performing a verbal fluency task, subjects with an At-Risk Mental State showed greater activation in the inferior frontal cortex than controls. Striatal dopamine function was greater in the At-Risk group than in controls. Within the At-Risk group, but not the control group, there was a direct correlation between the degree of left inferior frontal activation and the level of striatal dopamine function. Altered prefrontal activation in subjects with an At-Risk Mental State for psychosis is related to elevated striatal dopamine function. These changes reflect an increased vulnerability to psychosis and predate the first episode of frank psychosis. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 67-75 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Molecular Psychiatry |
Volume | 16 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2011 |