Cited by 185Schizophrenia research and treatmentMental Health and PsychiatryNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Longitudinal grey-matter and glutamatergic losses in first-episode schizophrenia

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Théberge, Jean, Williamson, Kate E., Aoyama, Naoko, Drost, Dick J., Manchanda, Rahul, Malla, Ashok K., Northcott, Sandra, Menon, Ravi S. +6 more·2007·British Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Progressive volumetric changes in the brains of people with schizophrenia have been attributed to a number of factors. AIMS: To determine whether glutamatergic changes in patients with schizophrenia correlated with grey-matter losses during the first years of illness. METHOD: Left anterior cingulate and thalamic glutamatergic metabolite levels and grey-matter volumes were examined in 16 patients with first-episode schizophrenia before and after 10 months and 30 months of antipsychotic treatment and in 16 healthy participants on two occasions 30 months apart. RESULTS: Higher than normal glutamine levels were found in the anterior cingulate and thalamus of never-treated patients. Thalamic levels of glutamine were significantly reduced after 30 months. Limited grey-matter reductions were seen in patients at 10 months followed by widespread grey-matter loss at 30 months. Parietal and temporal lobe grey-matter loss was correlated with thalamic glutamine loss. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated glutamine levels in never-treated patients followed by decreased thalamic glutamine and grey-matter loss in connected regions could indicate either neurodegeneration or a plastic response to reduced subcortical activity.

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  • Long-lasting effects of antipsychotic medication have not been found in human studies so far.

    “However, long-lasting effects of antipsychotic medication have not been found in human studies so far.28,34”
  • A longitudinal study found reductions in precuneal gray matter after 10 months and in frontal, temporal, parietal, and limbic lobes after 30 months of treatment, which was correlated with thalamic glutamine reductions.

    “A longitudinal study which assessed patients when medicationnaive and after treatment found reductions in precuneal gray matter after 10 months and in frontal, temporal, parietal, and limbic lobes after 30 months of treatment, which was correlated with thalamic glutamine reductions.34”

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Authors
Théberge, J., Williamson, K. E., Aoyama, N., Drost, D. J., Manchanda, R., Malla, A. K., Northcott, S., Menon, R. S., Neufeld, R. W. J., Rajakumar, N., Pavlosky, W., Densmore, M., Schaefer, B., & Williamson, P. C.
Affiliations
  • Western University (CA)
  • McGill University (CA)
  • St Joseph's Health Care (CA)
Corresponding author
Théberge, Jean
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2007-10
Volume
191
Issue
4
Pages
325-334
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
OpenAlex
W2066003443
Cited by
185
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 18
FWCI
5.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (12078, MT-12078)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
first-episode schizophrenia, gray matter loss, glutamine, thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, antipsychotic drugs, neurodegeneration, brain volumetric changes, longitudinal brain changes
MeSH terms
Adult, Female, Glutamine, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Functional Laterality, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Schizophrenia, Thalamus, Time Factors, Case-Control Studies, Glutamic Acid

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