Reduced concentrations of thalamic N-acetylaspartate in male patients with schizophrenia

Objective: The authors measured N-acetylaspartate (a putative neuronal marker) in the right and left thalamus of 17 male patients with schizophrenia using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (H-1 MRSI), Method: 1H MRSI was performed on 17 medicated male patients with schizophrenia and 10 male comparison subjects, Concentrations of N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline were determined in the thalamic regions bilaterally, Results: The patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significantly lower concentrations of N-acetylaspartate than the comparison subjects in both the right and left thalamic regions. Right thalamic N-acetylaspartate and left thalamic N-acetylaspartate were significantly correlated in the patients but not in the comparison subjects, There was no association between N-acetylaspartate and duration of illness or medication dose. No group differences or lateralized asymmetries in choline or creatine were noted. Conclusions: The finding of reduced concentrations of N-acetylaspartate bilaterally suggests neuronal dysfunction and/or loss in both the right and left thalamic regions in male patients with schizophrenia.