Differences in fMRI and MRS in a monozygotic twin pair discordant for schizophrenia (case report)

Objective: This paper presents functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) findings in a monozygotic twin pair discordant for schizophrenia. Method: Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine hemispheric lateralization for speech and proton MRS (H-1-MRS) was employed to assess the extent of putative insult to anterior hippocampus. Results: Despite concordant right handedness, subject with schizophrenia displayed bilateral activation in areas subserving speech with greater extent of the total activated area compared with the healthy twin. The affected twin displayed relative bilateral decrease in N-cetylaspartate/creatin concentration in the anterior hippocampus compared with the healthy one. Conclusion: This is an evidence for non-genetic impairment of cerebral lateralization in monozygotic twin with schizophrenia.