Blood Flow of Carotid Arteries in Schizophrenic Patients

Background: Based on new imaging, some results have led to the hypothesis, indicating left hemispheric dysfunction in schizophrenic patients, Transcranial color Doppler sonography also showed significant blood flow velocity changes in schizophrenic patients. Our study tried to clarify possible differences between carotid blood flow of each side, in symptom positive and symptom negative schizophrenic patients, as well as differences of blood flow between schizophrenic patients versus control cases. Methods: 31 schizophrenic patients which had been selected randomly were divided in two separate groups of symptom positive (14 cases) and symptom negative (17 cases) patients, according to PANSS test. Then carotid color Doppler sonography was performed for them and for 32 control cases. Velosities (PSV, DV) and Doppler indices (RL, PI) were measured to be compared statistically in patients and control cases. Results: According to P value < 0.05 as level of significance in all comparisons, no evidence of any significant differences is seen between two sides of patients(positive symptoms and negative symptoms) as though between control cases and patients. No positive conclusion also derived based on sex interference. Conclusion: So examination reveals no differences between carotid blood flows of two sides in schizophrenic patients(positive and negative symptom). There is no differences between carotid blood flow of patients and control group, even when sex interfered as a variety.