Open AccessmGluR5 receptor availability is associated with lower levels of negative symptoms and better cognition in male patients with chronic schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Régio Brambilla Cláudia,
Veselinović Tanja,
Rajkumar Ravichandran,
Mauler Jörg,
Orth Linda,
Ruch Andrej,
Ramkiran Shukti,
Heekeren Karsten,
Kawohl Wolfram,
Wyss Christine,
Kops Elena Rota,
Scheins Jürgen,
Tellmann Lutz,
Boers Frank,
Neumaier Bernd,
Ermert Johannes,
Herzog Hans,
Langen KarlJosef,
Jon Shah N.,
Lerche Christoph,
Neuner Irene
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.24976
Subject(s) - glutamatergic , metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , ionotropic effect , psychology , cognition , neuroscience , nmda receptor , glutamate receptor , neurochemistry , metabotropic glutamate receptor , medicine , psychiatry , receptor , neurology
Consistent findings postulate disturbed glutamatergic function (more specifically a hypofunction of the ionotropic NMDA receptors) as an important pathophysiologic mechanism in schizophrenia. However, the role of the metabotropic glutamatergic receptors type 5 (mGluR5) in this disease remains unclear. In this study, we investigated their significance (using [ 11 C]ABP688) for psychopathology and cognition in male patients with chronic schizophrenia and healthy controls. In the patient group, lower mGluR5 binding potential (BP ND ) values in the left temporal cortex and caudate were associated with higher general symptom levels (negative and depressive symptoms), lower levels of global functioning and worse cognitive performance. At the same time, in both groups, mGluR5 BP ND were significantly lower in smokers ( F [27,1] = 15.500; p = .001), but without significant differences between the groups. Our findings provide support for the concept that the impaired function of mGluR5 underlies the symptoms of schizophrenia. They further supply a new perspective on the complex relationship between tobacco addiction and schizophrenia by identifying glutamatergic neurotransmission—in particularly mGluR5—as a possible connection to a shared vulnerability.