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A decrease in spontaneous activity in medial prefrontal cortex is associated with sustained hallucinations in chronic
Masaya Yanagi1, Fumiharu Hosomi2, Yoshihiro Kawakubo2
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-sayama, Osaka, Japan. yanagi@med.kindai.ac.jp.
Scientific Reports
|June 14, 2020
Summary
Resting state functional imaging in schizophrenia reveals decreased spontaneous brain activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). This reduced activity correlates with symptom severity, particularly hallucinations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Functional imaging studies indicate reduced resting-state activity in default-mode network (DMN) regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), in schizophrenia.
- The clinical significance of this decreased spontaneous brain activity in schizophrenia remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intensity of spontaneous brain activity during the resting state in patients with chronic schizophrenia using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
- To clarify the relationship between decreased spontaneous activity in the mPFC and clinical symptoms of schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a practical imaging technique suitable for resting-state paradigms.
- Evaluated spontaneous brain activity during resting state in individuals diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia.
- Correlated spontaneous activity levels in the mPFC with the severity of clinical symptoms.
Main Results:
- Confirmed decreased spontaneous activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of schizophrenia patients, consistent with prior fMRI findings.
- Found a significant association between reduced spontaneous activity in the mPFC and the severity of hallucinations.
- Highlighted the mPFC's role in reality monitoring, suggesting a link between its dysfunction and psychotic symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can effectively detect altered spontaneous brain activity in schizophrenia.
- Decreased mPFC activity during resting state is linked to hallucinations, suggesting a neurobiological basis for this symptom.
- NIRS, combined with resting-state paradigms, holds potential for clinical application in managing schizophrenia's complex presentations.
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