Abstract
Abnormal functional brain connectivity could be considered an endophenotype of psychosis in schizophrenia. Identifying candidate endophenotypes may serve as a tool for elucidating its biological and neural mechanisms. The present study investigated the similarities and differences of features of brain network connectivity between patients and their first-degree relatives. Independent component analysis was conducted on imaging data collected from 34 healthy controls, 33 schizophrenia patients, and 30 unaffected first-degree relatives. The correlation between functional connectivity with neurocognitive performance and clinical symptoms were calculated. Abnormalities of between-network connectivity largely overlapped in patients and first-degree relatives, but the extent of such abnormalities was relatively minor in relatives. Negative connectivity between language networks and executive control networks was impaired in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives, and this decreased connectivity was correlated with performance in language processing. Similar impairments were found in high-visual network and executive network coupling, and this decreased connection was correlated with the severity of positive symptoms in patients. The results indicated that abnormal functional connectivity within and between perceptual systems (i.e., high-visual and language) and executive control networks was related to the generic risk of schizophrenia, which makes it a potential endophenotype for schizophrenia.
Highlights
Schizophrenia is one of the most complex and heterogeneous mental disorders
When examining differences in between-network connectivity across the three groups, we observed a significant decrease in connectivity between perception networks and cognitive control network (RECN) in schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls and a trend toward a decrease in connectivity in first-degree relatives compared with healthy controls (Fig. 3)
We provided evidence that supports the theory that dysconnectivity might be a candidate endophenotype of schizophrenia
Summary
Schizophrenia is one of the most complex and heterogeneous mental disorders. It causes impairments in multiple cognitive domains, including perception, attention, and executive function. The first hypothesis of the present study was that there is dysconnectivity within and between perception neural networks and executive control networks in patients with schizophrenia, and the dysconnectivity is related to positive symptoms. Compared with healthy control subjects, schizophrenia patients exhibited a decrease in connectivity in the cingulate gyrus within the auditory network.
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