Abnormal frontostriatal connectivity in adolescent-onset schizophrenia and its relationship to cognitive functioning

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) is linked to cognitive impairment and poor outcomes.
• Cognitive dysfunction in AOS may stem from frontal cortex-striatum dysconnectivity.
• Structural evidence for this dysconnectivity in adolescence is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate frontostriatal white matter (WM) tract characteristics in AOS.
• To correlate WM integrity with cognitive performance in adolescents with schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and probabilistic tractography were used.
• Thirty-seven AOS patients and 24 healthy controls were studied.
• Connectivity was mapped, and fractional anisotropy (FA) was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Bayesian modeling indicated processing speed as an intermediary variable for cognition.
• AOS patients exhibited generalized cognitive deficits, particularly in verbal learning, memory, and processing speed.
• Reduced WM connectivity was observed between the striatum and various cortical regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Conclusions:

• Frontostriatal WM dysconnectivity is present in adolescents with AOS and contributes to cognitive deficits.
• Altered WM connectivity affecting processing speed is a key factor in schizophrenia-related cognitive impairment.
• These findings highlight the importance of early white matter integrity in adolescent schizophrenia.