3-T proton MRS investigation of glutamate and glutamine in adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Glutamate and glutamine were examined in vivo in nonpsychotic adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia by using 3-T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). METHOD Spectra from the right medial frontal lobe of 20 adolescents who had a parent with schizophrenia (high-risk group; mean age=16.4 years) were compared with spectra obtained from adolescent offspring of parents with no history of schizophrenia (low-risk group; mean age=16.7 years). RESULTS Glutamate/glutamine was significantly higher in the adolescents at high genetic risk for schizophrenia than in the low-risk offspring. Age, premorbid adjustment scale scores, and other (1)H-MRS metabolites did not differ between groups. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale scores and socioeconomic status were lower in the high-risk group. DISCUSSION The finding of glutamate/glutamine abnormalities in a group of subjects at high genetic risk for schizophrenia lends support for both the glutamate dysfunction and neurodevelopmental hypotheses for schizophrenia.