Variability of structurally constrained and unconstrained functional connectivity in schizophrenia
Ye Yao1,2,3, Lena Palaniyappan4,5, Peter Liddle4
1Centre for Computational Systems Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Human Brain Mapping
|August 15, 2015
Summary
Schizophrenia alters brain connectivity, particularly affecting indirect pathways. These changes in structurally unconstrained brain networks are a consistent feature across illness stages, highlighting a key aspect of this disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Brain Connectivity
- Schizophrenia Research
Background:
- Brain architecture relies on spatial variation in connectivity for regional specialization.
- Abnormal structure-function relationships are characteristic of neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia.
- Understanding the nature of functional links (direct vs. indirect) is crucial for brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variability in functional brain connectivity based on direct (primary) and indirect (secondary, tertiary) structural paths.
- To quantify functional connectivity entropy in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
- To explore the relationship between structural constraints and functional connectivity alterations in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- Categorized functional links into primary (direct), secondary (one indirect path), and tertiary (multiple indirect paths).
- Quantified functional connectivity variability using functional connectivity entropy in 34 schizophrenia patients and 32 controls.
Main Results:
- Direct primary links constituted less than one-third of functional connections in both patients and controls.
- Schizophrenia showed significant changes in the distribution of functional connectivity within indirect tertiary paths, irrespective of illness stage or symptom severity.
- Chronic schizophrenia patients exhibited additional reductions in connectivity within direct structural paths compared to early-stage patients.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal functional connectivity in schizophrenia preferentially affects structurally unconstrained (indirect) links.
- Altered connectivity in indirect pathways is an invariant feature of schizophrenia, present in both early and late stages.
- Findings suggest a continuum of dysconnectivity in schizophrenia, from less direct to more direct brain pathways.
Keywords:
Schizophreniadiffusion tensor imagingfunctional MRIfunctional connectivityfunctional connectivity entropystructurally constrainedstructurally unconstrainedMore Related Videos
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