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The Association Between Lentiform Nucleus Function and Cognitive Impairments in Schizophrenia
Ping Li1, Shu-Wan Zhao2, Xu-Sha Wu2
1Medical Imaging Department 1, Xi'an Mental Health Center, Xi'an, China.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|November 8, 2021
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show altered lentiform nucleus activity, linked to cognitive deficits in working memory and processing speed. This magnetic resonance imaging study highlights lentiform nucleus function
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
Background:
- Cognitive decline is a primary symptom of schizophrenia.
- Lentiform nucleus (putamen and globus pallidus) dysfunction is implicated in schizophrenia's psychopathology.
- The specific impact of lentiform nucleus function on cognitive impairments in schizophrenia remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify alterations in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) within the lentiform nucleus of schizophrenia patients.
- To investigate the correlation between these fALFF changes and cognitive performance in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive assessments (digit span, digit symbol coding) were performed on 136 schizophrenia patients and 146 healthy controls.
- Whole-brain analysis was used to detect significant changes in fALFF values.
- Data were collected and analyzed between June 2020 and March 2021.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients demonstrated significantly lower cognitive test scores (p < 0.001).
- Increased fALFF was observed in the bilateral lentiform nuclei of patients compared to controls.
- fALFF values in the lentiform nuclei positively correlated with digit span and digit symbol coding test scores.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals an association between lentiform nucleus function, assessed via fALFF in MRI, and cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.
- The findings suggest that lentiform nucleus dysfunction contributes to deficits in working memory and processing speed in schizophrenia patients.
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