engleski

Alteration of cerebral blood flow measured with SPECT in patients with first episode psychosis

Introduction: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a valid method for measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Recent studies regarding rCBF in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) reported heterogeneous results, but were limited with small sample size. Neuroimaging can help us in setting the diagnosis of illness, as well as in following the progress and finding more effective treatment for psychotic disorders. Objectives: To compare baseline alterations of the rCBF using SPECT with psychopathological status in FEP during acute phase. Aims: To investigate the changes of rCBF in patients with FEP during acute phase. Methods: We conducted a study on 40 drug- naïve patients with FEP at acute phase of illness during their hospitalization at Zagreb University Hospital Centre. The diagnosis was confirmed using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. rCBF was measured with SPECT and psychopathological status rated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Results: While our findings showed only few normal results of rCBF in FEP patients, more than half of them had severe parieto-temporal perfusion deficits, mild to moderate parieto- fronto-temporal perfusion deficits or borderline perfusion deficits that did not correlated with psychopathological status. Conclusion: As our results showed alteration in rCBF at the beginning of the illness and statistically significant differences in distributions of rCBF depending on patients psychiatric heredity, SPECT could be a valid method in understanding a biological correlation of psychotic disorders.

first episode psychosis, cerebral blood flow

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