부산대학교 도서관

Objective: Postmortem studies have implicated the central muscarinic acetylcholine system in schizophrenia. However, central muscarinic receptor availability has not previously been studied in vivo. Using [1:123]iodoquinuclidinyl benzilate ([[sup 123I]IQNB) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), the authors sought to compare the muscarinic receptot availability in vivo in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and normal subjects. Method: Twelve medication-free patients with schizophrenia underwent an [[sup 123]I]IQNB SPECT scan during approximate-equilibrium conditions. A group of 10 age- and gender-matched normal comparison subjects were given the same kind of scan under similar conditions. Regions of interest were analyzed in the cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus, and pons. Binding data were analyzed as nCi/ml tissue per mCi injected dose. Results: Muscarinic receptor availability was significantly less in patients with than in normal subjects in Schizophrenia except the pons. Re-all regions of interest ductions ranged from -33% in the caudate to -20% in the occipital cortex. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia correlated negatively with muscarinic receptor availability in the striatum and the frontal cortex. Conclusions: These results indicate a reduction in muscarinic acetylcholine receptor availability in vivo in unmedicated patients with schizophrenia, confirming results from postmortem studies and adding further evidence that the muscarinic system is involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]