Patients with schizophrenia exhibited various social cognitive deficits. According to the
glutamate hypothesis, these social cognitive deficits might be the result of glutamatergic dysfunction in
the brain. In-vivo glutamate levels could be detected by the Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Magnetic
Resonance Spectroscopy studies conducted in the general individuals, individuals with high risk of
schizophrenia, and patients with autism spectrum disorders indicated that glutamate levels may be
correlated with social cognition in patients with schizophrenia. Correlations between glutamate levels
and different social cognition could be further explored in patients with schizophrenia and the subclinical
individuals in the future.