Abstract

Preliminary studies indicate that schizophrenic illness with late life onset shows both important similarities and differences compared to more typical cases with onset in early life. We propose to examine the structural and dopamine D2 receptor brain changes associated with late life onset schizophrenia using MRI, CT and PET scanning. C-11 labelled N-methyl Spiroperidol will be used as the PET ligand. This, in conjunction with modelling studies, will yield Bmax values of dopamine D2 receptors. Bmax changes will be compared to those previously reported to accompany normal aging and those found in early life onset schizophrenia. Suitable control groups will be examined. These will consist of elderly normal volunteers and currently elderly early life onset schizophrenics, matched for age, sex, and race with the late life onset schizophrenics. Structural brain and receptor changes will be analyzed to determine their association with clinical symptomatology, neuropsychologic abnormalities, sensory deficits, and social factors. This may aid understanding of late life onset schizophrenia, and clarify the relationship of this syndrome both to early onset cases and to the psychopathology of aging.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH043326-02
Application #
3382773
Study Section
Psychopathology and Clinical Biology Research Review Committee (PCB)
Project Start
1989-04-01
Project End
1992-03-31
Budget Start
1990-04-01
Budget End
1991-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
045911138
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218

  Publications

Hong, Charles Chong-Hwa; Harris, James C; Pearlson, Godfrey D et al. (2009) fMRI evidence for multisensory recruitment associated with rapid eye movements during sleep. Hum Brain Mapp 30:1705-22
Meda, Shashwath A; Bhattarai, Manish; Morris, Nicholas A et al. (2008) An fMRI study of working memory in first-degree unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients. Schizophr Res 104:85-95
Rabins, Peter V; Lavrisha, Martina (2003) Long-term follow-up and phenomenologic differences distinguish among late-onset schizophrenia, late-life depression, and progressive dementia. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 11:589-94
Pearlson, G D (2000) Neurobiology of schizophrenia. Ann Neurol 48:556-66
Rabins, P V; Aylward, E; Holroyd, S et al. (2000) MRI findings differentiate between late-onset schizophrenia and late-life mood disorder. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 15:954-60
Pearlson, G D (1999) Structural and functional brain changes in bipolar disorder: a selective review. Schizophr Res 39:133-40;discussion 162
Pearlson, G D; Marsh, L (1999) Structural brain imaging in schizophrenia: a selective review. Biol Psychiatry 46:627-49
Sharma, T; Lancaster, E; Sigmundsson, T et al. (1999) Lack of normal pattern of cerebral asymmetry in familial schizophrenic patients and their relatives--The Maudsley Family Study. Schizophr Res 40:111-20
Buchanan, R W; Vladar, K; Barta, P E et al. (1998) Structural evaluation of the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 155:1049-55
Pearlson, G D; Breiter, S N; Aylward, E H et al. (1998) MRI brain changes in subjects with Down syndrome with and without dementia. Dev Med Child Neurol 40:326-34

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