Schizophrenia is characterized by hypoconnectivity or decreased intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) between prefrontal-limbic cortices and thalamic nuclei, as well as hyperconnectivity or increased iFC between primary-sensorimotor cortices and thalamic nuclei. However, cortico-thalamic iFC overlaps with larger, structurally defined cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical (CSPTC) circuits. If such an overlap is relevant for intrinsic hypo-/hyperconnectivity, it suggests (i) that patterns of cortico-subcortical hypo-/hyperconnectivity extend consistently from thalamus to basal ganglia nuclei; and (ii) such consistent hypo-/hyperconnectivity might link distinctively but consonant with different symptom dimensions, namely cognitive and psychotic impairments. To test this hypothesis, 57 patients with schizophrenia and 61 healthy controls were assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and clinical-behavioral testing. IFC from intrinsic cortical networks into thalamus, striatum, and pallidum was estimated by partial correlations between fMRI time courses. In patients, the salience network covering prefrontal-limbic cortices was hypoconnected with the mediodorsal thalamus and ventral parts of striatum and pallidum; these iFC-hypoconnectivity patterns were correlated both among each other and specifically with patients' impaired cognition. In contrast, the auditory-sensorimotor network covering primary-sensorimotor cortices was hyperconnected with the anterior ventral nucleus of the thalamus and dorsal parts of striatum and pallidum; these iFC-hyperconnectivity patterns were likewise correlated among each other and specifically with patients' psychotic symptoms. The results demonstrate that prefrontal-limbic hypoconnectivity and primary-sensorimotor hyperconnectivity extend consistently across subcortical nuclei and specifically across distinct symptom dimensions. Data support the model of consistent cortico-subcortical hypo-/hyperconnectivity within CSPTC circuits in schizophrenia.

中文翻译：

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皮质-丘脑低连通性和超连通性一直延伸到精神分裂症的基底神经节。

精神分裂症的特征在于前额-边缘皮质和丘脑核之间的连通性低下或内在功能连接性（iFC）降低，以及初级感觉运动皮质和丘脑核之间的超连通性或iFC升高。但是，皮质丘脑iFC与较大的，结构上定义的皮质-纹状体-帕利多-丘脑-皮质（CSPTC）电路重叠。如果这种重叠与内在的低/超连通性有关，则表明（i）皮质-皮层下-低/超连通性的模式从丘脑一直延伸到基底神经节核。（ii）这种持续的超低/超连通性可能与不同的症状维度（即认知和精神病性障碍）有明显的联系，但又是一致的。为了检验这个假设，通过静息状态功能磁共振成像（fMRI）和临床行为测试评估了57位精神分裂症患者和61位健康对照。通过功能性磁共振成像时间过程之间的部分相关性，可以估算从内在皮层网络到丘脑，纹状体和苍白球的IFC。在患者中，覆盖前额-边缘皮质的显着网络与内侧中枢丘脑以及纹状体和苍白球的腹侧部分连接不足。这些iFC低连通性模式之间相互关联，特别是与患者认知障碍相关。相反，覆盖初级感觉运动皮层的听觉感觉运动网络与丘脑的前腹侧核以及纹状体和苍白球的背侧部分高度连接。这些iFC超连通性模式之间也相互关联，特别是与患者的精神病症状相关。结果表明，前额叶边缘性低连接性和初级感觉运动性超连接性始终贯穿皮层下核，特别是跨越不同的症状维度。数据支持精神分裂症的CSPTC回路中皮层-皮层下/下连通性过强的模型。