Severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenia correlated to hyperactivity of the left globus pallidus and the right claustrum. A PET study.

Schizophrenia has been characterized as a complex disease, in which various cerebral regions may be affected. The purpose of this study was to compare the cerebral regions that are involved in mild and severe negative symptoms, and to determine whether the degree of severity can be related to specific dysfunctional areas of the brain. The PANS Scale was used to form two groups of patients with prevalence of negative symptoms: Mildly Affected (MA), and Severely Affected (SA).