Metabolic Disconnection Between the Mediodorsal Nucleus of the Thalamus and Cortical Brodmann's Areas of the Left Hemisphere in Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to examine interregional correlations of thalamocortical metabolic activity during a verbal learning task in schizophrenia. METHOD: They used [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in 41 unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and 59 normal comparison subjects. RESULTS: A metabolic disconnection was observed in patients with schizophrenia in the left hemisphere between the mediodorsal nucleus and widespread frontotemporal cortical regions, and stronger-than-normal intercorrelations were found between the pulvinar and superior temporal, selected parietal, posterior cingulate, and occipital areas. CONCLUSIONS: Deficits in the functional interrelationships between the left frontotemporal cortices and the left mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus complement inferences from postmortem and magnetic resonance imaging volumetric studies identifying a thalamic diathesis in schizophrenia.