Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of lenticular nuclei in simple schizophrenia.

1. The lenticula nuclei have been suggested to be the site of structural and functional abnormalities in schizophrenia. 2. Recently, several studies involving proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) showed that the ratio of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) to choline-containing compounds (Cho) was significantly reduced in the basal ganglia region in patients with schizophrenia. 3. Simple schizophrenia is characterized by social withdrawal and affective flattening, but not by prominent catatonic, hebephrenic or paranoid features. 4. We studied, using 1H MRS, the lenticula nuclei of 10 patients with simple schizophrenia, and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. 5. No differences between the patients and the controls were found in any of the measured ratios, i.e. Cho/Cr, NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho. 6. Our results suggest the normal viability of neuronal cells, as found on quantification of NAA, Cr and Cho, in the lenticular nuclei of patients with simple schizophrenia. 7. The pathophysiology of simple schizophrenia may be different from those of other types of schizophrenia.