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Longitudinal Assessment and Functional Neuroimaging of Movement Variability Reveal Novel Insights Into Motor
Derek J Dean1, Jessica A Bernard2,3, Katherine S F Damme4
1Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|July 15, 2020
Summary
Motor dysfunction, including handwriting and grip force variability, is a stable marker in youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. This variability is linked to poorer symptom progression and altered brain activity in motor networks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Motor dysfunction is observed in youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, potentially reflecting neurodevelopmental abnormalities in motor circuits.
- Existing research relies on cross-sectional studies, limiting understanding of brain-behavior dynamics over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally assess motor dysfunction and its relationship with clinical progression in CHR youth.
- To investigate the link between motor control variability and brain activation in motor networks using functional MRI.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Longitudinal assessment of handwriting variability and positive symptoms over 12 months in 91 CHR individuals and controls.
- Study 2: Functional MRI task examining power grip force stability and associated brain activation in a subset of participants.
Main Results:
- Greater handwriting variability was a stable characteristic of CHR participants with worse symptom progression.
- CHR individuals exhibited increased grip force variability, correlated with reduced activation in the associative cortico-striatal network.
Conclusions:
- Motor variability may serve as a stable vulnerability marker for psychosis risk.
- Altered functioning within the cortico-striatal brain network is indicated in CHR individuals, though medication effects require consideration.
