Published online Aug 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i22.5215
Peer-review started: May 31, 2023
First decision: June 14, 2023
Revised: June 15, 2023
Accepted: July 10, 2023
Article in press: July 10, 2023
Published online: August 6, 2023
Processing time: 64 Days and 7.8 Hours
In patients with schizophrenia, the brain structure and neurotransmitter levels change, which may be related to the occurrence and progression of this disease.
To explore the relationships between changes in neurotransmitters, brain structural characteristics, and the scores of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.
The case group comprised 97 patients with schizophrenia, who were evaluated using the Canadian Neurological Scale and confirmed by laboratory tests at Ningbo Mental Hospital from January 2020 to July 2022. The control group com
Patients in the case group had higher levels of DA and lower levels of Glu and GABA, greater vertical and horizontal distances between the corpus callosum and the inferior part of the fornix and larger ventricle area than patients in the control group (P < 0.05). Patients with positive schizophrenia symptoms had significantly higher levels of DA, Glu, and GABA than those with negative symptoms (P < 0.05). In patients with positive schizophrenia symptoms, PANSS score was significantly positively correlated with DA, vertical and horizontal distances between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, and ventricular area, and was significantly negatively correlated with Glu and GABA (P < 0.05). In patients with negative schizophrenia symptoms, PANSS score was significantly positively correlated with DA, vertical distance between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, horizontal distance between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, and ventricular area, and was significantly negatively correlated with Glu and GABA (P < 0.05).
In patients with first-episode schizophrenia, DA levels increased, Glu and GABA levels decreased, the thickness of the corpus callosum increased, and these variables were correlated with PANSS scores.
Core Tip: In this study, the relationship between the changes of neurotransmitter and brain structure characteristics and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) score in patients with first episodes of schizophrenia was investigated. It was found that there were differences in the levels of dopamine, glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain of the study subjects, as well as the brain structure characteristics detected by magnetic resonance imaging between the two groups, and there is a certain correlation with PANSS score.