Neuroleptic therapy influences basal ganglia activation: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study comparing controls to haloperidol‐ and olanzapine‐treated inpatients

Abstract

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive technique for mapping the working brain. Using a fingertapping task, imaging of subcortical regions has proven to be difficult. We studied an inpatient under treatment with olanzapine and haloperidol, focusing on subcortical brain activation. We compared this patient with normal controls and with patients using haloperidol or olanzapine. Brain activation was induced by a unilateral self-paced fingertapping task. Brainvoyager software package (version 3.7) was used for data analyzing. Significant increases in blood oxygen level-dependent response were found in the contralateral motor area and the ipsilateral cerebellum in all patients. Differences with regard to the subcortical regions could be revealed in both the examinations of the same patient and the different treatment groups. Functional magnetic resonance imaging is an important method to study the interaction between basal ganglia, thalamus and the motor cortex. It is especially helpful to investigate intra-individual differences under different treatment conditions.

Reward system activation in schizophrenic patients switched from typical neuroleptics to olanzapine

“…To date, only a few neuroimaging studies have compared the effect of typical antipsychotics with olanzapine on brain function (Muller et al 2003;Muller and Klein 2000). Important for our study, a single dose of olanzapine (15 mg) but not haloperidol (10 mg) increased resting ventral but not dorsal striatal-regional cerebral blood flow (Lahti et al 2005).…”

Gait disturbances in patients with schizophrenia and adaptation to treadmill walking

“…20,21 Studies have revealed a disturbed basal ganglia output in schizophrenic patients who were treated with antipsychotic medication. [22][23][24] Additionally, dysfunction of the CCTCC leading to poorly coordinated mental activity and altered excitability of the motor cortex have been demonstrated in untreated patients with schizophrenia. 25,26 The cerebellum and the basal ganglia are both involved in the automatic control of sequential movements.…”

Subcortical overactivation in untreated schizophrenic patients: A functional magnetic resonance image finger‐tapping study

“…43 Several studies reported on basal ganglia activation in healthy persons. 7,9,44 Recently, Moritz et al 29 showed hemodynamic differences in basal ganglia compared with cortical regions.…”

“…29 Averaging group analysis might erase findings of single subject analyses because of the heterogenity of subcortical brain activation. 33,43 Magnetic resonance signal changes are small due to the lower increase in blood flow in subcortical areas.…”

“…In psychiatric disorders, morphological and functional abnormalities in subcortical regions might be of major importance regarding treatment and symptomatology. 43 Further studies are necessary to evaluate the cortico-subcortico-cortical interaction in evaluating the motor function, the influence of neuroleptic medication and psychiatric symptomatology.…”