ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the features of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the hippocampus in schizophrenia patients before and after stereotactic neurosurgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>1H-MRS was performed to determine NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios on the bilateral hippocampal regions before and after stereotactic neurosurgery in 20 schizophrenia patients, with 20 healthy individuals as the controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NAA/Cr ratio in the hippocampal regions was significantly lower and the CHO/Cr ratio significantly higher in schizophrenia patients before the surgery than in the healthy controls (P<0.01). The NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios in the hippocampal regions underwent no significant changes in the patients after the surgeries (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Neuronal and cell membrane metabolism impairment is present in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients, and stereotactic neurosurgery does not produce obvious adverse effects on the cell membrane metabolism in the hippocampus of the patients.</p>