Journal article

Glutamatergic dysfunction linked to energy and membrane lipid metabolism in frontal and anterior cingulate cortices of never treated first-episode schizophrenia patients

S Smesny, A Gussew, NJ Biesel, S Schack, M Walther, R Rzanny, B Milleit, C Gaser, T Sobanski, CC Schultz, P Amminger, UC Hipler, H Sauer, JR Reichenbach

Schizophrenia Research | Published : 2015

Abstract

Background: Glutamatergic dysfunction and altered membrane lipid and energy metabolism have been repeatedly demonstrated in the frontal/prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in schizophrenia. Though having been already studied in animals, the presumed link between glutamatergic function and structural plasticity has not been investigated directly in the human brain yet. We measured glutamate (Glu), focal energy metabolism, and membrane phospholipid turnover to investigate main pathologies in those key brain regions of schizophrenia. Methods: 1H- and 31P-Chemical Shift Imaging (CSI) was combined in a single session to assess Glu and markers of energy (PCr, ATP) and membrane lipid (PM..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft


Funding Acknowledgements

Dr Stefan Smesny was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (Sm 68/3-1). Prof. Jurgen R. Reichenbach and Dr. Alexander Gussew acknowledge support from the DFG (RE 1123/11-1). We would like to thank the staff of the MRI research facility (Mrs. Loob, Mrs. Lammers, Mr. Koppe) for their support in acquiring and processing spectroscopic data. We also thank all participants of the study and their families.