| Semin Nucl Med 1992 Oct;22(4):254-267 |
Neuropsychiatric disorders: investigation of schizophrenia and substance
abuse.
Volkow ND, Fowler JS.
Because neuropsychiatric disorders involve functional and neurochemical cerebral
abnormalities, positron emission tomography (PET) is ideally suited for their
investigation. The use of tracers to measure regional brain glucose metabolism and/or
blood flow has allowed the evaluation of brain function in psychiatric patients. The use
of radioligands to assess receptor concentration has enabled an evaluation of the extent
to which specific neurotransmitter systems are involved in the pathogenesis of mental
illness. This article reviews the application of PET technology to the understanding of
schizophrenic disorders and substance abuse.
