Partial resolution of psychosis in first-episode schizophrenia is associated with changes in the fronto-thalamo-cerebellar circuitry function

Recent theories and research have implicated fronto-thalamo- cerebellar circuitry in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate potential changes in functioning of this circuitry during resolution of psychosis in first- episode schizophrenia patients. The same cohort of patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging on two separate occasions during performance of the N-back task. Patients were scanned for the first time while in acute psychotic state within the first week of treatment with antipsychotic medication and then for the second time while in partial remission after a further 6–8 weeks of treatment. Data analysis revealed that the aberrant activation of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), right thalamus and left cerebellum, present during the first scanning session, normalized over time with treatment and significant reduction in symptoms, whereas the function of left DLPFC, left thalamus and right cerebellum remained disturbed. In addition to providing support for the cognitive dysmetria hypothesis of schizophrenia, present results disclose interesting lateralization effect with significant longitudinal change in function of the right and relatively stable dysfunction of the left fronto-thalamo- cerebellar circuitry in schizophrenia