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Dysconnectivity in schizophrenia: where are we now?
William Pettersson-Yeo1, Paul Allen, Stefania Benetti
1Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|December 1, 2010
Summary
Schizophrenia (SZ) is linked to reduced brain connectivity, particularly involving the frontal lobe. This finding holds true across all stages of the disorder and across different neuroimaging methods.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The disconnection hypothesis posits that schizophrenia (SZ) symptoms stem from aberrant brain connectivity.
- Numerous neuroimaging studies have explored this, but results are inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize findings from both structural and functional neuroimaging studies on brain connectivity in SZ.
- To identify consistent trends in connectivity alterations across the disorder's course and methodologies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of structural and functional neuroimaging literature in schizophrenia.
- Analysis of studies spanning individuals at ultra-high-risk to chronic schizophrenia patients.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia is consistently associated with reduced, not increased, brain connectivity compared to healthy controls.
- Connectivity reductions are most prominent in connections involving the frontal lobe.
- These trends are observed across all stages of schizophrenia and are independent of neuroimaging technique.
Conclusions:
- Reduced frontal lobe connectivity is a key neuroimaging biomarker across the schizophrenia spectrum.
- Findings support the disconnection hypothesis and provide a unified view of connectivity deficits in SZ.
- Future research should explore the implications of these consistent connectivity reductions.
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