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Severe somatization in women is associated with altered cerebral glucose metabolism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2002

M. HAKALA ,
H. KARLSSON ,
U. RUOTSALAINEN ,
S. KOPONEN ,
J. BERGMAN ,
H. STENMAN ,
J.-P. KELAVUORI ,
S. AALTO ,
T. KURKI  and
P. NIEMI
M. HAKALA
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
H. KARLSSON
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
U. RUOTSALAINEN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
S. KOPONEN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
J. BERGMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
H. STENMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
J.-P. KELAVUORI
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
S. AALTO
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
T. KURKI
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
P. NIEMI
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku PET Centre, PET Unit and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry and Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku; and Signal Processing Laboratory/DMI, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
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Abstract

Background. Somatization is a clinical phenomenon characterized by multiple, medically unexplained somatic symptoms. The pathophysiology remains unknown. We aimed to test the hypothesis of a central nervous system dysfunction in the pathophysiology of this disorder.

Methods. We studied 10 female patients diagnosed as having somatization disorder or undifferentiated somatoform disorder with no current Axis I disorders according to DSM-IV. They were compared with 17 healthy female volunteers using brain [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET with MRI reference.

Results. The patients had lower cerebral metabolism rates of glucose (P<0·05) in both caudate nuclei, left putamen and right precentral gyrus compared with healthy volunteers.

Conclusions. This is the first study to demonstrate changes in brain metabolism in somatizing women. The regional cerebral hypometabolism is probably associated with the pathophysiology of somatization.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 8 , November 2002 , pp. 1379 - 1385
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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