NEURAL BASIS OF SELF-REFERENTIAL PROCESSING IN PSYCHOSIS PRONENESS

Abstract

inferior temporal gyri (BA20). There was a correlation of parts of the DMN component in patients: between prefrontal areas and SANS total score and inferior temporal areas and SAPS total scores. Finally, regression analyses showed significant (p<0.05 FDR) positive correlation between SANS scores and functional connectivity in left inferior temporal gyrus (BA20); positive correlation with SAPS scores in right superior frontal gyrus (BA10), bilateral precuneus (BA31/7), middle frontal gyrus (BA9): negative correlation with SANS scores in right superior frontal gyrus (BA11), right precuneus (BA7). Discussion: DMN components can robustly be indentified from resting state fMRI time series in schizophrenia patients. The differences in anatomical distribution point to possible alterations in functional connectivity in schizophrenia, which are independent of task-related cognitive activity. It supports models of prefrontal cortical dysfunction in the absence of specific cognitive activity. Our correlations with psychopathology, although preliminary, suggest a direct relation to psychopathological items, which would support a clinical significance of altered DMN activity. This work was partially funded through an EU grant (FP6; MC RTN: EUTwinsS network).