Abstract
Background
Previous studies have shown that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has high temporal
resolution, requires little restraint, and is suitable for examining the effect of
psychological tasks on brain circulation. In the present study, frontal function in
schizophrenic patients was analyzed by NIRS during random number generation (RNG),
ruler-catching (RC), and sequential finger-to-thumb (SFT) tasks.
Methods
Two sets of NIRS probes were attached to the foreheads of 13 schizophrenic patients
and 10 control subjects approximately at Fp1–F7 and Fp2–F8. Near-infrared spectroscopy
was conducted at a sampling rate of 1 Hz, with the pathlength being determined by
time-resolved spectroscopy with differential pathlength factor measurements. The absolute
changes in oxygenated (oxy-Hb) and deoxygenated (deoxy-Hb) hemoglobin concentrations
in response to each task were measured, and total hemoglobin (total-Hb) concentration
was calculated as the sum of the two.
Results
During RNG task, total- and oxy-Hb concentrations increased, and deoxy-Hb decreased,
but the responses were significantly smaller in schizophrenic patients. During RC
task, oxy-Hb in schizophrenic patients tended to decrease, in contrast to the mostly
increasing response in control subjects. No group difference was observed during SFT
task.
Conclusions
Task-dependent profile of functional abnormalities was observed in schizophrenic frontal
brain metabolism. These results support the usefulness of NIRS data in investigating
frontal lobe dysfunction and evaluating psychopathologic condition in schizophrenic
patients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 22,
2003
Received in revised form:
April 29,
2003
Received:
November 15,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
