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Alterations in functional network centrality in first-episode drug-naïve adolescent-onset schizophrenia

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Abstract

Schizophrenia is a disorder resulting from aberrant brain networks and circuits. In the current study, we aimed to investigate specific network alterations in adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) and to help identify the neurophysiological mechanisms of this adolescent disorder. We recruited forty-one subjects, including 20 AOS patients and 21 matched healthy controls (HCs), and we acquired brain images to examine the specific changes in functional network patterns using degree centrality (DC), which quantifies the strength of the local functional connectivity hubs. Whole-brain correlation analysis was applied to assess the relationships between clinical characteristics and DC measurements. The AOS group exhibited increased DC in the right inferior frontal lobe, right fusiform gyrus and right thalamus (p < 0.05, AlphaSim correction). Whole-brain correlation analysis found that the DC value in the right parahippocampus was positively correlated with PANSS-positive symptom scores (r = 0.80); DC in the right superior parietal lobe (SPL) was positively correlated with PANSS-negative symptom scores (r = 0.79); DC in the left precuneus was positively correlated with self-certainty (SC) scores (r = 0.70); and DC in the left medial frontal gyrus (MFG) was negatively correlated with self-reflectiveness (SR) scores (r = 0.69). We conclude that frontoparietal network and cortico-thalamo-cortical pathway disruptions could play key roles in the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying AOS. In AOS patients, the right parahippocampus and SPL are important structures associated with positive and negative symptoms, respectively, and the left precuneus and MFG contribute to deficits in cognitive insights.

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Author notes

  1. Ming Zhou and Lihua Zhuo have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Psychoradiology, Department of Radiology, The Third Hospital of Mianyang/Sichuan Mental Health Center, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Zhou, Lihua Zhuo, Hongchao Yao, Ruohan Feng, Guoping Huang & Xiaoqi Huang

  2. Department of Psychiatry, The Third Hospital of Mianyang/Sichuan Mental Health Center, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Ruofei Ji & Guoping Huang

  3. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Yingxue Gao, Ruohan Feng, Lianqing Zhang & Xiaoqi Huang

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  1. Ming Zhou
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Contributions

XH and GH conceived and designed the experiments. MZ, LZ, and RJ recruited the patients and collected the data. MZ, YG, RF and RJ performed the data analyses. MZ, YG, LZ and XH wrote the manuscript. LZ, XH, and HC helped to perform the analysis with constructive discussions. MZ and LZ contributed to this study equally.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Guoping Huang or Xiaoqi Huang.

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On behalf of all of the authors, the corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Approval for this study was granted by the local ethical committee of the Third Hospital of Mianyang/Sichuan Mental Health Center.

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All of the participants and their parents were fully informed about the purpose and procedures of this study.

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Zhou, M., Zhuo, L., Ji, R. et al. Alterations in functional network centrality in first-episode drug-naïve adolescent-onset schizophrenia. Brain Imaging and Behavior 16, 316–323 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-021-00505-9

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