OBJECTIVE: Most individuals with psychosis do not perpetrate violence. However, conduct disorder (CD) increases the risk of violence in psychotic conditions. Because it is currently unknown whether the neural correlates of first-episode psychosis (FEP) differ when CD is present, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a Go/No-Go impulsivity paradigm to investigate. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that activation differences between FEP and FEP+CD would be found in the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and inferior parietal lobule. METHOD: We scanned 51 male participants: 17 FEP, 16 FEP+CD, and 18 healthy controls with an average age of 24.2 years (range, 17-34 years). Whole-brain images were analyzed via a general linear model, and first-level contrast images were created comparing successful No-Go >
Go trials. Paired RESULTS: Successful response inhibition elicited hyperactivation in FEP+CD vs FEP in the cingulate gyrus
regions of the PFC, including right middle frontal gyrus (RMFG)
bilateral inferior parietal lobule
temporal gyrus
and cerebellum ( CONCLUSION: These preliminary results tentatively suggest that brain regions subserving response inhibition may be altered when CD is comorbid with FEP.