Neurometabolic patterns of an "at risk for mental disorders" syndrome involve abnormalities in the thalamus and anterior midcingulate cortex.

Background: The ultra-high risk (UHR) paradigm allows the investigation of individuals at increased risk of developing psychotic or other mental disorders with the aim of making prevention and early intervention as specific as possible in terms of the individual outcome.

Methods: Single-session H-/P-Chemical Shift Imaging of thalamus, prefrontal (DLPFC) and anterior midcingulate (aMCC) cortices was applied to 69 UHR patients for psychosis and 61 matched healthy controls. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate/glutamine complex (Glx), energy (PCr, ATP) and phospholipid metabolites were assessed, analysed by ANOVA (or ANCOVA [with covariates]) and correlated with symptomatology (SCL-90R).

Results: The thalamus showed decreased NAA, inversely correlated with self-rated aggressiveness, as well as increased PCr, and altered phospholipid breakdown. While the aMCC showed a pattern of NAA decrease and PCr increase, the DLPFC showed PCr increase only in the close-to-psychosis patient subgroup. There were no specific findings in transition patients.

Conclusion: The results do not support the notion of a specific pre-psychotic neurometabolic pattern, but likely reflect correlates of an "at risk for mental disorders syndrome". This includes disturbed neuronal (mitochondrial) metabolism in the thalamus and aMCC, with emphasis on left-sided structures, and altered PL remodeling across structures.