PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Patel, Neva H.
AU  - Vyas, Nora S.
AU  - Puri, Basant K.
AU  - Nijran, Kuldip S.
AU  - Al-Nahhas, Adil
TI  - Positron Emission Tomography in Schizophrenia: A New Perspective
AID  - 10.2967/jnumed.109.066076
DP  - 2010 Apr 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 511--520
VI  - 51
IP  - 4
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/51/4/511.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/51/4/511.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2010 Apr 01; 51
AB  - PET is an important functional imaging technique that can be used to investigate neurotransmitter receptors and transporters directly by mapping human brain function. PET is increasingly being used greatly to advance our understanding of the neurobiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Methods: This review focuses on the use of PET tracers and kinetic modeling in identifying regional brain abnormalities and regions associated with cognitive functioning in schizophrenia. A variety of PET tracers have been used to identify brain abnormalities, including 11C, 15O-water, 18F-fallypride, and l-3,4-dihydroxy-6-18F-fluorophenylalanine (18F-FDOPA). Results: Some studies have used compartmental modeling to determine tracer binding kinetics. The most consistent findings show a difference in the dopamine content in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, and hippocampus between healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia. Studies also show a higher density of D2 receptors in the striatum and neural brain dysconnectivity. Conclusion: Future investigations integrating clinical, imaging, genetic, and cognitive aspects are warranted to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this disorder.